All Is Fair in Love and War
by icyglass431
Summary: - 1st part of my Lilian and Peter series. Lilian is my own character. - He is a boy from London's East End, she's a girl from Kensington. Can their love survive their differences?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone,**

 **Because of my Mom I started to watch Hogan's Heroes, and I have to say that I absolutely LOVE it. It is just amazing. And even though I'm German, I just love how the writers made fun of the Germans. Klink and Schulz for the win** **But besides that I think that each one of the Heroes is perfectly written. So I decided to write my own fanfiction about Newkirk and my own character Lilian. Newkirk does not always behave like he does in the show, but otherwise my story would make no sense.**

 **After I talked enough, I hope you all enjoy this story.**

Chapter 1: Love at First Sight

" _ **If grass can grow through cement, love can find you at every time in your life" - Cher**_

 _November 1937_

"We did it!" screamed Hannah, Lilian's best friend. "We both got a job at the same school. Is everything alright, Lilian? Aren't you happy that we teach at the same school?"

"No, everything is alright. I'm very happy, it couldn't be better. I just can't believe that we passed our final exam," said Lilian.

Hannah was her best friend since they met when they were 14. They were in their last year of school and Hannah just moved to London from Manchester. She didn't know anybody in London and Lilian was the first girl she met in the hallways. From the very first minute the two girls got along very well. And after a few weeks the two of them were inseparable. They always wanted to become teachers and they dreamed about teaching at the same school. Lilian couldn't believe that their dream just became reality.

"We have to celebrate, Lilian. Let's go to the Palladium. There is this new magician and he is really good. Three weeks ago, I was there with John. It was incredible," exclaimed Hannah.

"The show or John?" asked Lilian with a smirk on her face.

"Both," answered Hannah and they started to laugh.

"So, is this a yes?" asked Hannah.

"Sure, why not. Sounds like fun," answered Lilian.

"Alright. Let's say we go to the performance at eight o'clock?"

"Sounds great. We meet in front of the Palladium. Bye," said Lilian and went home.

* * *

She and Hannah only lived a few blocks apart, so Lilian was at home ten minutes later. The first thing she did when she arrived at home was writing a letter to her brother, Samuel.

He was a soldier in the British Army and he was stationed at a military base in Liverpool. Samuel was the best big brother Lilian could have ever hoped for. She and her brother had not had an easy childhood and he has always protected his four-years-younger sister from their parents. It wasn't that they had abusive parents or fought against poverty. They came from Kensington, a rather rich district of London. The problem with their parents was that they always were very strict. Lilian and Samuel always had to be the best at everything they did and failure was not accepted. That Lilian actually wanted to work as a teacher and not only studying it to get married with 18 and get children was very upsetting for her parents. And that she broke up with Michael, a boy from her neighborhood who her father had hoped to become his son in law, didn't help the tensed relationship between Lilian and her parents. Only her brother always supported Lilian on her decisions.

After she wrote the letter to her brother, in whom she told him all about the great news with her new job, she started to get ready for the evening. She decided to wear a light blue dress that went to her knees. She looked at the clock in the living room and was surprised when she saw that it was already half past seven. She took her sweater and went to the Palladium.

* * *

 _2 hours later_

"You were right, Hannah. The show was incredible," exclaimed Lilian, while walking out of the building.

"I'm always right," smirked Hannah, "And the magician, isn't he handsome?"

"Wait. Was that the whole point of 'celebrating' here? So you could hook me up with a stranger?" asked Lilian, angry. "You know I said that I don't want another relationship so soon after Michael"

"I know, but it's been six month since you broke up. I understand that you're hurt about Michael cheating on you, but you gotta get over him. Get out there again, and I assure you that you will find someone who deserves you," explained Hannah, wrapping an arm around Lilian.

"You're right," sighed Lilian.

"Like I said, I'm always right. Oh, look over there," exclaimed Hannah and pointed at a man who just came out of the building, "It's the cute magician. Go over there and talk to him. I have a feeling that you two are a match made in heaven. I gotta go," said Hannah and turned around, "Oh, and I want you to tell me every single detail. Meet me at the café tomorrow at 11 o'clock, alright?"

"Alright, bye," said Lilian.

"Good luck," replied Hannah while heading to her flat.

Lilian turned around and saw the magician smoking a cigarette. When he looked up from the ground and into her direction, Lilian quickly turned around.

 _Please don't let him look at me, thought Lilian._

She couldn't understand why she was so nervous. The last time she felt like her stomach was upside down was when she was with Michael, at least at the beginning of their relationship.

 _I don't even know that guy. What is wrong with me? It was all Hannah's fault for talking me into this._

"Don't ya think it's a little bit dangerous for a pretty young lady to be alone in the dark at this time?" asked a male voice beside Lilian.

Lilian turned to the left and saw the magician from the show.

"Not if she grew up with a four-year-older brother who had liked to tease his little sister," answered Lilian while smiling at the memory of herself and her brother fighting over Lilian's favorite doll.

He had taken the doll and hid it to take revenge for Lilian hiding his favorite miniature car.

Lilian looked at the man beside her and he said, " 'ow did ya and yer friend like the show?"

"How do you know that I was at the show?" asked Lilian curious, while having the feeling that her knees were melting over his cute accent.

"Ya don't forget a pretty face like yers," flirted the man, "So, what do ya say about me walkin' you 'ome?"

Lilian raised an eyebrow, "And being walked home by a stranger isn't dangerous?"

"Well, yes," started the man when he noticed that Lilian started to shiver, "Oh, are ya freezin'? 'ere take me coat," offered the man.

He took off his coat and laid it around Lilian's shoulders.

"But would a bad guy give up 'is coat?" asked the man.

He smiled and Lilian said, "Fine. I accept you're kind offer. But remember what I told you about my brother"

His smile grew wider and Lilian stretched out her hand.

"I'm Lilian, Lilian Wheeler"

"Peter, Peter Newkirk"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: The Walk

 _November 1937_

" _ **Love is a feeling, a feeling of happiness. Love is powerful, too powerful to play with. This feeling is strange and hard to describe, but when you fall in love, you will know it inside" – Unknown**_

Lilian and Peter started to walk to Lilian's flat.

"So, ya 'ave a brother. Any other siblings I might 'ave to worry about?" asked Peter, smirking.

Lilian laughed, "No, only one brother. Do you have any siblings?"

"I 'ave six other siblings. Three brothers and three sisters. I'm the second youngest," answered Peter.

"Wow, six siblings. There must be a lot going on at home when you are all there," said Lilian.

"Yeah, pure chaos"

They were walking in silent and Lilian didn't know what to say.

 _Why am I so nervous? I'm not falling for him, or am I? I don't even know him really. And I don't even know if he likes me? Maybe he walks me home just out of courtesy._

Peter's voice took her out of her thoughts.

"Ya know 'at I'm a magician, but what are ya doin' for livin'?"

"I'm a teacher. Well, technically, I'm not a teacher until next week. Today, my friend and I got our results on our final exam. We passed and we got a job on the same school. That's why we went out to celebrate," explained Lilian happily.

"Congratulations on passin'," said Peter.

"Being a magician is not a typical job. Do your parents approve it?" asked Lilian out of curiosity.

"Sure it's not a typical job, but they support me on everythin' I do. Why shouldn't they?"

"My parents would have torn my head off. I mean, they don't appreciate me becoming a teacher. Me becoming a magician? Unacceptable," sighed Lilian.

"Why don't they appreciate ya becomin' a teacher? To be a teacher is an 'onorable job, at least in me opinion," Peter smiled at Lilian.

"My parents are really special. You know their plan for me and my brother was that he would become a lawyer like my father and take over the family business and that I would marry Michael when I was 18, a neighborhood boy and boyfriend at that time. He is also the son of a good friend of my father," explained Lilian while holding tears back.

It was still hard to talk about that topic. It's really frustrating for Lilian that her parents are angry at her just because she decided to live her live like she wants to.

Peter saw her struggling with holding back the tears so he said, "We don't 'ave to talk about yer parents if ya don't want to"

"No, everything is alright," Lilian replied with a sad smile, "It's just that my family situation is not the best at the moment. My parents are angry with me because I decided to work and because I broke up with Michael. They think that my brother and I put a shame on our family reputation. And because of the tensed relationship I have with my parents currently I moved out of our family's home. I just had to get away from them and everything they stand for," Lilian looked at Peter who listened silently to her family background.

"I'm sorry; you must think that my family is crazy"

"No, I think that ya are a brave person for dealin' with this pressure all by yerself," comforted Peter Lilian.

They reached the building with Lilian's flat inside and Lilian said, "Thanks for walking me home and listening. I think I just needed to tell someone how I feel. I hope you are not scared off," smiled Lilian sheepishly.

"No, I'm not. Everyone needs someone 'e can talk to. I'm 'appy I could 'elp," said Peter, "So, goodnight. I really 'ope we could see each other again"

"I hope that too," replied Lilian.

They stood there, unsure of what to do. Lilian took all the courage she had together and gave Peter a kiss on the cheek.

"Goodnight," said Lilian and went inside the building.

A puzzled Peter laid one hand on the cheek where moments before laid Lilian's lips and had to smile. He turned around and made his way to his own flat, knowing that there will never be another pair of lips he wants to kiss ever again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: An Eventful Day

 _One day later…_

"I'm tellin' you, mates, I am gonna marry 'at girl," announced Peter, while sipping his beer.

"Slow down, boy," intruded Jacob, one of his best friends, "Ya barely know 'at girl"

"Jacob's right, Peter," said Luke, his other best friend, "Besides; ya said she's from Kensington, right? So she's way above yer class"

"But she's not like them. She doesn't even like them 'erself. She moved away from 'er parents because she wants to pursuit 'er own dreams," explained Peter, still sure of his earlier decision.

"She is really lovely"

"Who is really lovely?" asked Walter, the barkeeper of Peter's favorite pub, the Red Lions.

"Peter's so-called "future wife"," said Luke.

"Peter and marriage?" exclaimed Walter in disbelief, "This is like livin' 'ere in the East End and bein' rich"

Jacob and Luke started to chuckle.

"Yeah, yer right, I never thought 'igh about marriage and 'avin' a family, but 'at just because the right bird never came alon'. Until yesterday"

"And who's 'at special lady we're talkin' about?" asked Walter.

"Lilian Wheeler, born and raised in Kensington," answered Jacob, before Peter could even open his mouth to answer.

"Kensington? Ya do know 'at yer not the typical company for a Kensington girl, do ya, Peter?"

"I do know 'at, but I'm tellin' ya, she's not like all the other rich people we 'ear about. She's kind, sweet, intelligent and absolutely beautiful. She 'as the most piercin' green eyes ya will ever see in yer entire life," explained Peter.

"We understand, ya 'ave a 'uge crush on 'at girl, but I'll tell ya, once she sees where ya from, she will run away as fast as she can. Those rich and arrogant women are all the same," raged Luke.

* * *

"So tell me, what happened last night?" urged Hannah.

"Well," said Lillian, "After you left, he came to me and started flirting"

"Hah, I was right, again. But, with the way he was looking at you during his performance, even a blind person saw this coming," giggled Hannah.

"Anyways, he offered to walk me home and on our way to my flat, we talked a little bit. We reached my flat and he wished me goodbye," explained Lillian, smiling while she thought about last night.

"And…?"

"And we kissed," but before Hannah could burst into a pile of giggling and starting to refer to herself as "The Matchmaker", Lilian continued, "Well, we didn't really kissed"

Getting a confused look from Hannah, Lilian laughed.

"We were both unsure of what to do and so I kissed him on the cheek"

"Wait, what did you do? You, Lilian Wheeler, the shyest person I know when it comes to relationships, kissed a man she only knew about 20 minutes? I have to say, I'm impressed," said Hannah.

Lilian started to blush, and with that, both started to laugh.

"And know, you have to tell me all about his cute accent you mentioned earlier"

* * *

After she told Hannah everything about the cute magician she met yesterday, Lilian left the café and walked to the nearest post office. She wanted to send the letter to her brother and after a quick stop at her new workplace, to give her future employer the signed work contract; she would be heading to her parents' house. Her parents decided that they should talk about the present situation. Lilian wasn't really looking forward to the evening; everything would be better than talking with her parents about her former relationship with Michael, but still, they were Lilian's parents.

She couldn't avoid them for the rest of her life.

"Hello, Lilian. Lovely day isn't it," greeted Mrs Rogers, the post office lady.

Mrs Rogers was a 60-year-old lady, who owned the little post office here in Whitechapel. After Lilian moved away from her family residence, she had to handle a lot of paperwork, and Mrs Rogers was kind enough to help her.

Since Lillian wrote to her brother once a week, she was in Mrs Rogers' post office a lot, and with that, a friendship has developed.

"Hello to you, too, Mrs Rogers. Yes, it really is a lovely day. As lovely as a November day in London can be," joked Lilian.

"We have to enjoy every day, sweetheart. Once you're my age, you'll be thankful for every day, no matter how foggy it will be," explained the elder woman.

"Don't be silly. You are as youthful as a 20-year-old," complimented Lillian.

"I appreciate your sweetness. How can I help you?"

"Just as always, one letter to Samuel Wheeler, Liverpool Military Base," said Lilian while handing her letter to Mrs Rogers.

"By the way, how is your brother doing? I hope he's alright"

"He's fine. Currently his unit is helping a village near Liverpool which was severely damaged during the storm last week"

"Nature is powerful. It can be your friend or your worst enemy"

"You're absolutely right," said Lilian while glancing at a clock at the wall, "I would like to chat with you longer, but I have to go. Meeting with my future employer"

"Good luck, kid," called Mrs Rogers while Lilian made her way to her future workplace, Stepney Greencoat Church of England Primary School.

* * *

After the meeting with her future employer, Lilian was on her way back home. The dinner with her parents was in 3 hours, and she wanted to refresh herself before the evening.

As she approached the house she was living in, she saw a familiar figure sitting on the stairs in front of the building.

She couldn't help but to smile.

"Hello, stranger," said Lilian.

Standing up and straighten his clothes, Peter greeted, "'ey, yerself. Ya know, I was in the neighborhood and so I decided to swing by. I 'ope ya doesn't mind"

"I don't mind at all," answered Lilian, "Do you want to come up?"

"I would love to"

Lilian settled the tray with the tea kettle onto the table.

After she gave Peter his cup, she asked, "So, what were you doing in the neighborhood?"

Peter smiled and said, "I'll 'ave to admit, I wasn't just in the neighborhood and decided to drop by yer place, I came 'ere on purpose"

"You did?"

Peter set the cup in his hands on the table, and continued, unsure how she would react, "I would like to ask you to go out on a date with me"

He looked into Lilian's eyes and she started to smile.

"I would love that"

"Great," said a relieved Peter, " 'ow about tomorrow night, 8 o'clock?"

"That sounds perfect," answered a happy Lilian.

The two of them talked a little longer while drinking tea, until Peter had to leave because of his show at the Palladium and Lilian had to change because of the dinner.

While Lilian was on her way to her parents, her thoughts always drifted back to the handsome Brit she only met about one day ago, but already falling for.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Dinner

" _ **Family is supposed to be there for you no matter what comes your way. Shame on the ones who are not, that's not what family is about" - Unknown**_

Lilian knocked on her former home's door. Shortly after, Mr Adams, the butler, opened the door.

"Hello, Ms Wheeler," greeted Mr Adams.

"Hello, Mr Adams," answered Lilian, while her former butler helped with her coat.

"You're parents are waiting for you in the dining hall"

As Lilian was about to go to the dining hall, she heard Mr Adams warn her, "Be careful, Ms Wheeler, you will have unpleasant company"

Slightly confused, she went into the dining hall. But what she saw in there made her stomach twist. At the table sat her parents. Nothing unusually. After all, it was their house. But at the table was another person. Someone Lilian had hoped to never see again.

"Ah, Lilian my dear," said her father, gesturing that she should sit beside the "intruder".

"Why is he here?" asked Lilian her parents, feeling the anger rising in her.

"We thought, if we are already discussing the latest events, everyone should have a right to say something," explained her mother.

"Lilian, you need to hear me out," started the man.

"Stop it, Michael," interrupted Lilian, "I don't have to do anything. You are not in any position to ask for anything"

"Don't be so harsh, darling. We are here to sort everything out," stated her father.

Lilian sat beside Michael, and Mr Adams served the first meal.

As he tried to pour some wine into Lilian's glass, she said, "Thank you, but I don't want any today. I don't feel well"

"So, now that everyone is here, I think we should talk about the things that happened," declared her father, "Lilian, why don't you start?"

"I don't have anything to say. I caught him cheating, and so I broke up with him"

"Lilian, sweetheart, are you sure that you are not just imagine something. Michael is such a sweet and honest boy, he would never do something like that," explained her mother.

"Mother, are you saying that I'm lying?!" raged Lilian, "And furthermore, why are you on his side? I am your daughter, shouldn't you have my back?"

"Don't be upset," intervened her father, "But sometimes our eyes are lying"

"Your parents are right, Lilian. I never cheated on you," said Michael.

"Sure you did. Or since when is sleeping with another woman while you are in a relationship considered not be cheating?"

"Stop it, Lilian. I've had enough of you," yelled her father, "First, you decide to become a teacher. A teacher, for heaven's sake! Then, you break up with your fiancé and move into a flat in ruddy Whitechapel. You are a disgrace to our family. You and your idiot of brother"

Lilian just sat there in disbelief. She couldn't understand why her parents are mad at her, when Michael hurt their own daughter. And why they are so angry about the fact that she decided she would teach children for a living.

"Your father is right, Lilian. Just come to terms with Michael and then we can live on as if nothing has ever happened," pleaded her mother.

"Just come to terms? Live on as if nothing has ever happened? Are you serious?"

Now, Lilian was the one who yelled, "Maybe you can live with the thought that marriage doesn't require unconditional love from both partners, but I don't. And maybe you think staying at home and being a housewife is the fulfilled life for every woman, but not for me. I want to educate children; I want to teach them that they can reach everything they want to. And I don't care if you, as my parents, have a problem with that"

Lilian stood up from the table and headed to the hallway.

"What do you think you are doing?" called her father.

"Leaving"

* * *

The next day, Lilian and Hannah were sitting in Lilian's flat and discussed the recent events.

"So they invited Michael?" asked Hannah in disbelief.

"Yes, they did. Then they told me I should just forget what happened and that I am a, quote, "disgrace to our family"," explained Lilian.

"I don't understand your parents"

"Me neither," said Lilian with a sad expression.

To cheer Lilian up, Hannah decided to change the topic.

"But enough of your parents. You said the cute magician asked you out on a date?"

"He did. And his name is Peter," said Lilian while rolling her eyes at Hannah.

"I still will refer to him as "the cute magician"," laughed Hannah, "Did he say what he had planned for tonight?"

"Just that he will pick me up at 8 o'clock. I sure hope we don't go to any fancy restaurant, I've had it with rich people," complained Lilian.

"You are rich," pointed Hannah out, with a smirk on her face.

"I may come from a family with a decent wealth, but I'm not one of them. They think just because they have money, they can do anything they want to, and that people who have less are not worth talking to. Disgusting," explained Lilian.

"I know what you are talking about. I think your parents still don't like me"

"It's their loss," said Lilian, and both started to laugh.

"You need to help me, Hannah. What should I wear? The last time I was on a real date was two years ago"

"The way he looked at you, I think you could wear a brown potato bag and he would still go out with you," smiled Hannah, "But let me investigate your closet. We don't have to challenge destiny if we can avoid it"

* * *

It was 8 o'clock.

Lilian stood in front of her mirror, checking herself for the thousandth time.

 _Don't be so nervous_ , she thought, _everything will be alright._

A knock on the door snapped her back to reality. She breathed deeply and opened the door.

What she saw took her breath away. In front of her stood Peter, holding a huge bunch of pink lilies.

"I 'ope you like lilies. Fits to yer name," smiled Peter.

"I love lilies," said Lilian, "Why don't you come inside and I put the flowers in a vase before we leave?"

After Lilian had put the flowers in a vase she asked, "By the way, where are we going tonight?"

Peter shrugged and unsure about how she would react, he said …


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Date Night

" _ **I may not be your first love, first kiss, first sight, or first date, but I just want to be your last everything" – Unknown**_

"Where are we going tonight?" asked Lilian.

He shrugged.

 _Blimey, 'at was a bad idea,_ he thought, _just to prove me mates wrong._

"Well, ya need to know 'at the last month didn't go to well. People just 'and't 'at much interest in magician shows," Peter started to explain why he wanted to go the Red Lion Pub.

And besides to prove his friends that Lilian was just like he described her, he really hadn't that much money to afford anything fancy.

Living in the East End comes with costs.

"So I can't afford anythin' fancy, at least not this time. But I promise ya, if there will be a next time, I'll show ya off."

Lilian looked at Peter, completely confused.

"It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just reminds me of my family," trailed Lilian off.

"I'm glad to 'ear 'at. I thought about goin' to my favorite pub in whole London, the Red Lion Pub. Do ya know it?" asked Peter, hoping Lilian wouldn't just slap him at his suggestion and end the date before it had even started.

"Never heard of it before. Then again, my father did not allow me to go to any pubs," explained Lilian.

" 'e did? Well then ya really missed somethin' out," said Peter.

"Let's go"

* * *

Walter stood behind the bar and waited for Peter and his new girl.

When Peter announced he would ask her to go out on a date, Luke and Jacob started to laugh at him. They just couldn't believe that a rich girl from Kensington would go out with a bloke from London's East End.

And to be honest, Walter couldn't imagine it either.

So Luke said, Peter should take her to the pub and then they would see how she would ran away, screaming.

Peter agreed but refused to allow his mates to stay to watch them.

"A bloke needs his privacy," he said.

Since Walter would be there anyway, Jacob and Luke promised to leave Peter alone.

Now he waited for the two "lovebirds" to arrive.

The door swung open and Peter and his girl emerged.

He must hand it to Peter; he always had a good taste in women.

* * *

Peter held the door open and Lilian entered the small pub.

"I know it's nothin' special, but it's still great. Once you get used to the smell of cigarettes," smirked Peter.

He tried his best to hide the fact that he was on the edge of a nervous breakdown.

He really liked Lilian and at first, he didn't even want to bring her to the pub, but his friends were right.

This is his life. This is who he is. These are his friends.

If she hated it, she wouldn't be the right girl for him, because she wouldn't accept him for who he is.

Lilian looked around while he led her to a table in the back, where they had a little bit of privacy.

"I go get meself a pint, can I get ya somethin'?"

"I take one too," answered Lilian, smiling.

Puzzled, Peter made his way to the bar.

This was the first bird he ever had a date with who ordered beer.

He had to smile.

So far so good.

"Two pints," announced Peter when he approached the bar.

"Nice girl," said Walter while filling two glasses with beer.

"I know. So far I won the bet; she is still 'ere," smirked Peter.

"I only believe this because I see it with me own eyes," answered Walter.

After receiving the two glasses, Peter returned to Lilian.

* * *

" 'ere ya go"

"Thanks"

Lilian took one glass from Peter who settled in front of her.

"So, you already know a lot about my family troubles," started Lilian, "What about your family?"

"Like I said, I'm comin' from a large family. I have six siblings; five of them are already married. I grew up in Stepney," Peter looked up to see how Lilian would react on his last remark.

But instead of feeling pity for him, Lilian said, "Wow, six siblings. That must be great; you always have someone to hang out with. I would love to have more siblings than just my brother"

Peter smiled, "Sure, it's great, but sometimes they're really annoying"

They both started to laugh.

"So true; and what do your siblings do for living? You know that my brother is in the Army," asked Lilian.

"Well, let's see. Thomas, me oldest brother, is a car mechanic, Henry's a carpenter, Mary, me oldest sister, is a nurse in a local 'ospital, Alexander works as an electrician, Emma and 'er 'usband have a little tailoring, and Mavis, the youngest of us, is also a teacher like ya," explained Peter, "And by the way; where is yer brother stationed?"

"In Liverpool. His unit is currently helping a village that was flooded," answered Lilian.

Peter just wanted to ask Lilian further details on her brother, when he saw that Jacob and Luke entered the pub.

"Bloody 'ell, those tossers," cursed Peter under his breath.

"Is everything alright?" asked a worried Lillian.

"Ah, yeah, sure," Peter stammered, "would you excuse me for a moment?"

Without waiting for her answer, Peter stood up and made his way to his best friends.

"What are yer wankers doing here? I told ya two, leave us alone," raged Peter.

"Calm down, we just wanted to see if yer girl already took off," teased Luke.

"Well, as ya can see, she is still 'ere. Now, could ya two go away"

"Any problems?"

Peter turned around to see Lilian standing behind him.

"No, everything's alright, my dear. These are just two friends of mine," Peter pointed to the guys behind him, "Lilian, meet Luke Harris and Jacob Campbell. Guys, this is Lilian"

"Nice to meet you two," Lilian greeted.

"The pleasure is on our side," smirked Jacob.

Peter shot a warning glance at Jacob.

"Why don't we go back to our table, my dear?" recommended Peter.

Lilian and Peter went back to their table while Jacob and Luke left the pub.

"Sorry for 'at interruption"

"Nothing to worry about; but where were we?" grinned Lilian.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: "Lil, I wanted to ask ya somethin'"

" _ **I actually fell for you before I even realized I did" – Unknown**_

 _Three weeks later…_

"And that would be everything for today," announced Lilian.

She was standing in front of her class.

 _Her class_

It still had a strange ringing to it. She couldn't quite believe she achieved her dream in educating children, despite her parents' wishes.

"Oh, and don't forget to rehearse your lines for the class play"

The kids nodded and ran out the room.

Lilian shook her head, smiling. She turned around to clean the chalkboard. When she took over the class from Ms Payne, who decided to leave her job to help her daughter cope with the loss of her child, she was informed that the first graders decided to do a Christmas play for their parents. Of course, Lilian was happy to organize the play, which would be a great opportunity to meet the parents of the children.

"I 'ave to say, nothin' is so dangerous than kids eager to leave school"

Lilian turned around to see Peter standing in the doorway.

She had to smile. "They're really lovely. That is when you are not in their way between this building and their freedom"

Peter chuckled and made his way over to the desk where she stood. He hugged her and gave her a slight kiss on her cheek.

"As much as I appreciate seeing you, I have to ask. What are you doing here? I thought you were helping your sister with her tailoring," asked Lilian.

"I am, but they sent me to buy new fabric, and the shop is on the way of yer school. So I thought I pay ya a quick visit and ask ya if ya want to come over for dinner tonight"

"I would love to. But are you sure you want to cook again? You know, after the spaghetti incident last week?"

Yeah, the spaghetti incident.

On one of their dates, Peter tried to cook for Lilian a romantic menu; instead, he ended up almost burning up his whole kitchen. His talents were definitely not in the kitchen department.

"I know, 'at wasn't one of me best times; 'owever, this time I will get meself some 'elp. So, no need to worry"

"Well, when you say so," answered Lilian. "What time should I be around?"

"Let's say seven o'clock?"

"Sure"

"Great. I will see ya then; I 'ave to get to the tailorin' now. Otherwise me sister will kill me"

Peter and Lilian hugged, and Peter headed towards the door.

* * *

"So, when are you two going to seal the envelope?" asked Hannah while cleaning her class room.

"Sealing the envelope? What do you mean by that?" asked a puzzled Lilian.

"Oh, come on. When do you and Peter become a thing? You two have seen each other almost every day the past three weeks. And every time you talk about 'prince charming', your eyes have this spark and you can't stop smiling"

Lilian started to flush. "I don't know. We have not talked about the relationship thing yet. I mean, he knows about Michael; maybe he thinks I don't want to have something serious right now"

"Well, if that's true, you have to do something against that. Show him you're over this jackass"

"As far as I can remember, you and John didn't become a thing after what, two months? And Michael and I also rushed through this dating thing; we know how this ended. I don't want to ruin what I have with Peter. Therefore I will wait till he brings up the topic," explained Lilian.

Hannah came over to sit next to her best friend on the front desk. "Maybe you are right. But I have this feeling that you will have a new boyfriend before this Christmas"

* * *

"Mhm, this cake is delicious," mumbled Lilian. "How did you manage that?"

"A good magician never reveals 'is trick. Besides, 'aving a sister who can bake 'elps a lot"

They both started to laugh.

Suddenly, Peter fell silent and looked down on his plate. "Lil, I wanted to ask ya somethin'"

Confused, Lilian lay down her fork and cleaned her mouth with her napkin before laying it down on her legs. "Is everything alright?"

A million thoughts raced though her mind. From him asking to meet his parents, to him calling them off. She thought about every possible outcome of his next few words, hoping for the best and preparing for the worst.

"The last few weeks were one of the 'appiest times in me entire life. With ya, I can let me walls come down. Ya accept me for who I am and ya are not ashamed of me family background, somethin' I learned not to take for granted." Peter took Lilian's hands in his, and continued. "Therefore I wanted to ask ya, do ya want to be me girlfriend?"

Lilian said nothing. She just stared at Peter in complete shock.

Seeing her reaction, he let go of her hands. "Well, we don't 'ave to go steady if it's to fast for ya. After the thing with Michael and everything…"

Peter just wanted to say something further when Lilian interrupted him, "Yes."

Peter looked up and saw her smiling. "Of course I want to be in a relationship with you. I just didn't react at first, because I prepared myself for you breaking up."

"I would be crazy if I let a beautiful bird like ya walk away," said Peter while making his way around the table.

He wrapped Lilian in a long passionate kiss. Their tongues danced around, exploring each other. They only broke apart to breathe, when he said,

"And me mates thought ya ran away on our first date."

"Never."

* * *

 **Sorry if this felt a little bit rushed, but I have loads planned for this story and I don't want this story to become a monster with so many chapters I forget what I wrote in the first chapters.**

 **But I promise you guys, you will see what I mean by that when this story emerges.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A Letter from Your Sibling

" _ **Being brother & sister means being there for each other" – Unknown**_

 _Dear Samuel,_

 _how are you? I'm fine and I hope you are well too. You will not believe what happened a couple days ago. Do you remember Peter, the guy I wrote about in my last letters? Well, we are a couple now! It happened over dinner. I am so happy right now. I have a feeling that I will be happier with him than with Michael. Michael just wanted to set foot into the family business, but Peter's different. He is not interested in my money. With him I feel save and he gives me the feeling that he loves me because of me. But I don't know how to tell our parent's about him! I mean, I'm not ashamed of him, or his family background. Heaven knows, I'm glad he doesn't come from a rich family. But you know our parents; especially our father. He will be outraged! He still tries to get me to forgive Michael and marry him. And he still does not approve of me being a teacher. However, I will never even talk to Michael again, yet alone marry him. What has father on his mind? Doesn't he understand that Michael has hurt me? And mother even takes sides with him. You are the only one who supports me, even though you have enough troubles yourself. I can only thank God for giving me a brother like you. But please, you need to tell me how I should tell our parent's of Peter's existence. I don't think they will approve him, a magician. With six siblings! I can already hear Father yelling: "This is a disgrace to our family. He is a disgrace. You are ruining our family reputation!" I have enough of our parents. Best will be I wait and see how everything will evolve._

 _But forget them. How is your unit doing? Is the village fine? And when are you coming home again? I miss you so much. Without you, a part of me is missing._

 _You know who I met the other day while I was grocery shopping? Percy! He is back in town on a one week pass. The last time I saw him was one year ago when he was transferred onto the Centurion. He told me that the Royal Navy had transferred him yet again. Next week he will be stationed at the Iron Duke. He asked me to greet you for him. I can't believe that you two are serving for King and Country, as I still remember the three of us spending our time at the pond in the neighborhood, exploring the animals._

 _I hope you will write soon!_

 _Take care of yourself_

 _I love you_

 _Lilian_

Samuel laid the letter down. He felt sorry for his little sister. Dealing with their parents on her own was certainly not easy.

"Everything alright, Wheeler?" asked one of his bunkmates, Sergeant David Fox.

"My sister has problems with our parents because of her new boyfriend. She doesn't know how to introduce him to them. He's a magician from Stepney. Not really the son-in-law they were hoping for"

"Well, after everything you told me about your parents they would not appreciate any guy that was not chosen by them"

David put on his jacket and his hat and said, "I have to go. Kitchen duty"

As he left, Samuel walked towards the table in the middle of the room and sat down to write a letter back. He hoped he could help his little sister, even though he was in Liverpool and she in London.

 _Dear little Sis,_

 _first of all: I'm happy you found someone else. Michael was a bastard and I sure hope this Peter guy will treat you well. I really don't know how you should break the news to our parents; I can hear them screaming too! But if you ask me, I would wait. Enjoy your time being with him; you don't have to rush things. Find out whether he is worth the trouble, whether you can't think of being with someone else. If he is the one, then I would make the next step and introduce them to our parents. Cause if he is your "Prince Charming", then your relationship will endure everything; even our parents._

 _To your next question: I don't know when I will come home for R &R [1], but sadly it looks like I can't make it home for Christmas. A lot is going on over here and therefore not so many people will be allowed to leave. And all we, the bachelors, agreed, the first to leave will be the ones who have kids back home. But I can guarantee I will be there for your birthday in February. The Big 20! I can't believe that my little sister is already going to be 20! Do you remember the one time you destroyed my miniature car and so I wanted to destroy your favorite doll? It seems like it happened only yesterday. _

_This leads me to Percy. I can't believe that we joined the Armed Forces either. But that Percy would do something involving water was destined. He always jumped in the pond to explore it from the inside. I still see his mother shaking her head in disbelief when she found once again some dead fish or frog in one of his pants. Those were the good times. Tell him my best wishes for his new station if you see him again? And could you ask him for his address, so I can write to him?_

 _I'm fine, but I feel completely exhausted. This flood is killing me. I sure hope the meteorologists are right and that it will stop raining in the next days. We had to evacuate the people in the village; the flood was just so much! They are living at the base now, until everything is settled down. The kids are really raising the mood among the guys. I don't remember if there was a time there was so much laughter in the hallways._

 _Hope you will answer soon_

 _Love you_

 _Samuel_

Lilian smiled. It was always enlightened to receive a letter from her brother. He is the best big brother anybody could wish for.

And he always had the best advices.


	8. Chapter 8

**As always:**

 **standard – description, dialog**

 _ **italic**_ **– thoughts**

* * *

Chapter 8: Christmas, Part I

" _ **Family is supposed to be our save haven. Very often, it's the place where we find the deepest heartache" – Iyanla Vazant**_

 _December 24, 1937_

Lilian stared at the plate in front of her. The whole evening she tried to avoid eye contact with her parents. Since Samuel was in Liverpool, she had to deal with her parents on her own, and she really disliked her parents at the moments. Every time Lilian alluded to the topic "boyfriend/new boyfriend" her mother would ask, "And how are things with Michael?"

She just could not understand how her parents could be so obsessed with a guy who has hurt their daughter.

"Are you not well, darling?" asked her father.

"No, everything is alright. Why do you think so?" Lilian tried to sound as convincing as possible.

"You're not as talkative as you usually are. The whole dinner you are just sitting there, staring at the food" Her father took another sip from his wine glass.

"Believe me, everything is fine. I'm just sad that Samuel can't be with us," Lilian admitted.

"He decided to be in the military. If he had chosen to be a lawyer like your father, he would have been here to celebrate," said her mother sternly.

Lilian tried to hide her anger that's been rising up.

 _Here it goes again_

"Well, Lilian, my dear, did you think about what I told you," asked her father.

"I beg your pardon?" Lilian had a feeling she knew at which topic her father hinted at, but she sincerely hoped she was wrong.

"Did you talk with Michael? He told me nothing about the two of you being back together"

Her father had to be kidding. Even on Christmas Eve, he had to annoy her with Michael.

This had to stop. Tonight. Right now.

She laid down her fork and prepared herself for the upcoming discussion. She knew she had to break the news about Peter eventually, so why not now?

"Actually, Father," retorted Lilian. "I have not talked to Michael yet, and I never will"

Her parents looked at their daughter, confused.

"He has hurt me and I will never forgive him" Lilian retrieved her fork.

"Besides, I already have a new boyfriend," she added nonchalantly.

Her mother almost spat on the table, "You have what?"

"His name is Peter Newkirk" Lilian had to give it to her parents. Their behavior was somehow rather amusing.

"I'm not familiar with this name. Who is he?" asked her father.

"He is from Stepney and works as a magician at the Palladium"

Lilian prepared herself for her father's outburst, she knew would follow.

"A Cockney? How could you? Where did you meet an East Ender?" he stammered.

"I met him at the Palladium. Hannah and I were at one of his shows after we received note that we passed our exam," Lilian explained calmly.

She heard her mother snort scornfully, and her father raged, "I can't believe it! Do you know what you are doing to our reputation? What will the others think? My daughter with some filthy Cockney. I order you to break up with him"

"Stop it, Father," Lilian shouted.

Her parents stared at her, not knowing how to react to their daughter speaking up.

"I've had it with you. Why can't you just accept that Samuel and I are living the life WE want to live, and not what YOU decide for us. My whole life I'm trying to please you, do everything you want me to do. And what did you do? You always criticized me. I was never good enough for you. I even dated Michael; dealt with everything he threw at me, every wickedness, every insult. I swallowed my feelings, lived my life like a robot. And what did you do? Nothing"

Lilian tried to blink away the tears forming in her eyes.

"And now that I found someone who makes me happy; who isn't interested in my money and cherishes every flaw I have, you start to insult him. Without even knowing him! Just because he didn't grow up in the same social strata as I did."

Lilian stood up and said depressed, "I can't believe I thought for just one slight moment you would act like normal parents"

"Where do you think you are going, young lady? This argument is not over" called her mother.

"It sure is. I have nothing to say to you anymore. I wish you a Merry Christmas. I hope you are happy"

Lilian closed the door behind her and made her way back to the flat.

* * *

 _December 25, 1937_

He maneuvered himself through the busy streets of London. The city was crowded with people doing their last-minute Christmas shopping.

 _I'm so glad I already got Lil her present. I hope she likes it_

He saved all his money to get her something nice. He wanted to astonish her for their first Christmas as a couple. Lilian always assures him she didn't mind to spend most of their dates in the Red Lion Pub due to his lack of money, but he intended to make her feel special, especially to strengthen his bruised ego.

It sucked not being able to treat one's girlfriend like society expects.

He looked at the little package in his hands and smiled. He started whistling as he walked to Lilian's flat.

* * *

As he reached her door, he hid the present behind his back, took a deep breath and knocked.

He waited with anticipation for his girlfriend to open the door, but he was not prepared for what he was about to see.

The door opened and instead to see Lilian's everlasting smile, he was greeted by swollen, red eyes.

"Blimey, Lilian, what 'appened?" he called out.

No answer.

He moved forward and took her hand, "Lilian, please, what 'appened"

She fell into his arms and started crying.

Peter felt his heart breaking.

He moved them into her flat and onto the couch. He held her close, tenderly stroking Lilian's back in an effort to comfort her.

After what felt like an eternity, her breathing started to soothe down and she stopped shivering.

They sat in silence until Lilian croaked, "Oh, Peter"

"Shh, everythin' will be alright. But ya need to tell me what 'appened"

Lilian looked up and their eyes met. "Yesterday, I ate dinner with my parents, and when they brought up Michael again, I couldn't bear it anymore. I screamed at them, telling them how I felt all my life, and…" Her voice trailed off

"And what?"

"And I spilled the beans about us" Lilian started to cry again.

 _Blimey, this is just great. Her parents don't approve of me. Though, it was clear this would happen, according to what she told me about them_

"My father started to insult you and demanded I should break up with you"

 _And here it comes_

"But I wouldn't. So I left them. Oh, Peter, why can't they behave like normal parents," wept Lilian.

Still puzzled by the fact that she has not broken up with him, he answered, "I don't know, Lil. I really don't, but I assure ya, they will calm down. Ya just 'ave to wait"

Lilian disengaged herself from Peter's embrace, wiped her tears away and exclaimed, "I'm so sorry, I must have ruined your day"

"Don't be kiddin', ya didn't ruin anythin'. I'm your boyfriend, if somethin' is troublin' ya, I am 'ere to comfort ya"

Lilian had to smile at his last comment.

"There is the Lilian I know" Peter threw one arm around her back and she leaned against him.

He looked around the room and his eyes landed on the little package beside him; the reason why he was here in the first place.

"By the way, Merry Christmas" Peter moved his head down and planted a kiss on Lilian's lips.

At the same time, he picked up the present. After they broke apart, he said, "I 'ope ya like it"

She opened the little black box and gasped. Inside the box was a gold necklace with a pendant.

"Open the pendant," encouraged Peter.

She did as told.

Inside the pendant was a picture of the two of them. It was taken two weeks ago while celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the Red Lion Pub. On the other half of the pendant was an engraving.

 _ **Remember tonight,**_

 _ **for it is the beginning**_

 _ **of Always**_

 _ **Christmas 1937**_

"Oh my God, Peter, it's beautiful"

" 'ere, let me 'elp ya" He helped her by closing the link of the necklace.

Lilian turned around and announced, "Wait one moment. I have something for you too"

She went to the dresser beside Newkirk and took an envelope from the top drawer. She returned to the couch and gave the envelope to Peter.

He opened the envelope and retrieved two tickets.

"One evening you told me about some friends from your time in the circus who are travelling with this new circus, and how you would love to see them again but you could not afford the tickets," explained Lilian.

"Oh, and I called the owner and told him about the situation and that you are the Palladium's headliner. So he arranged a joint performance with you and your mates"

"Wait, ya are foolin' me, aren't ya?"

Lilian smiled, "No, I'm not"

"I can't believe it. Thank ya, this is amazin' "

He put the tickets in his coat pocket and asked, "So, what are ya doin' today?"

Her face darkened and she answered, "My original plan was to spend the day with my parents, but since our fight yesterday, I will stay at home"

"Ya can't spend Christmas alone," countered Newkirk. "Ya know what, ya celebrate with me an me family"

"Oh, no, Peter. I never met your family before and Christmas is a day to spend it with them. Not with strangers. I'm fine, really. Have fun with your family"

"I don't take no for an answer"

Lilian was still unsure what to think about the proposal, so Newkirk pulled her up and said, "They won't mind, trust me. They will love ya"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Christmas, Part II

" _ **Don't worry about the family that ignores and acts like you don't matter, love the ones who are always there for you no matter what" - Unknown**_

"I still think it's a bad idea," persisted Lilian.

She clung more onto Newkirk's arm with every step they took.

"Ya don't 'ave to be nervous. Ya are the most wonderful 'uman bein'; why should me parents be mad when ya come?" he asked.

"Maybe because I am not invited. I'm sure your mother cooked exactly for only your family. And now you come with a stranger. I mean, have you thought about what you will say to them, 'Merry Christmas! Oh, by the way, this is Lilian' "

Peter tried hard to hide his urge to smile. Lilian always worried too much.

"Ya are not a stranger. Me family knows who ya are"

Lilian stopped in her tracks, "They know; how?"

"I told them about ya" Peter started walking again.

"You told them about me?"

"Yes, I did. At first, me brothers thought I made ya up, some kind of 'imaginary girlfriend'. They are going to be surprised when they see ya are real," joked Peter.

He held his hand out. "Come on, otherwise we are goin' to be late. And ya don't want to be late, do you," he teased.

Lilian punched him in the shoulder and they both started laughing.

* * *

The doorbell rang and Mrs Newkirk yelled from the kitchen, "Can somebody please open the door?"

Mr Newkirk rose from his chair and struggled to make his way through the living room because of his grandchildren who turned the floor into a fighting place.

He reached the front door and opened it.

"Merry Christmas, Dad," greeted his son.

"Ah, Peter, me boy, Merry Christmas to ya too"

Mr Newkirk saw Lilian standing behind Peter and he coaxed, "Why don't ya introduce me to the lovely girl behind ya"

"This is Lilian, Dad. There were some problems with 'er family and so she would 'ave spend the day alone. Therefore, I invited 'er to celebrate with us," explained Peter.

"The more the merrier," announced Mr Newkirk. "Come inside"

Peter walked through the door and Lilian said, "Merry Christmas, Mr Newkirk"

"Please, call me William. 'Mr Newkirk' makes me feel ol' ," scoffed Peter's father.

"Come on, Lil, I'll introduce ya to me mom" Peter took Lilian's hand and shoved her towards the kitchen, where he presumed his mother would be.

As he entered the kitchen, he said, "Merry Christmas, Mom. I brought someone with me"

He stepped away to reveal his girlfriend to his mother. "This is Lilian"

"Lilian, me dear, Peter told me so much about ya" She walked over and hugged her. "I'm glad to finally meet ya"

Lilian looked over to Peter who simply smiled.

"I hope I'm not intruding, Mrs Newkirk," began Lilian.

"Yer not intruding, me dear. Everyone who is friends with me Peter is welcome in our home. And it's Dorothy"

They turned their heads when they heard screaming from the living room.

"Could ya be a dear and tell yer siblings the meal is ready. If we don't get over with the meal soon, so 'at we can open the presents, me house will not survive the day," laughed his mother.

"Sure," answered Peter and went with his girlfriend to the living room.

They were greeted by five kids crashing into them, yelling, "Uncle Peter"

"Hey, guys" He lifted one of his nephews up and said, "This is Lilian, a very good friend of mine"

"Hello, Lilian," the kids retorted.

Peter set his nephew to the ground and told them they should get their parents to the dining room. The children took off and he guided Lilian towards a room with a long table in it.

"I go get a stool for ya"

He left and Lilian looked around the room. It was held in a light yellow tone. One of the walls caught her eye. It was covered in pictures. Lilian moved closer to it and looked at them. It was Peter's family. She spotted a picture that showed presumably Peter and his youngest sister Mavis. He had already shown her a picture of him as a child and she recognized the boy on the image in front of her.

She would recognize his piercing green eyes everywhere.

"Ya like what ya see?" asked Peter, who indeed returned with another stool.

"Maybe," teased Lilian.

At that moment, Peter's nephews and nieces ran in the room and fought over who would sit where.

"Kids, stop fighting," reprimanded William. "There is enough room for everybody"

When Peter's siblings caught sight of Lilian, one of his brothers called, "Damn, Peter, ya have not made her up. I can't believe it"

"Stop it, Henry. You are being rude," noted one of the women who made her way over to Lilian.

She held out her hand and said, "I'm Ivy, the lucky wife of this idiot"

Ivy pointed to her husband and added, "You have to excuse him" She leaned in and whispered, "But you know men, don't you. Always immature"

They both started to laugh and another man mocked, "I think yer wife just revealed yer real nature to 'er, Henry"

"I'm Alexander, Peter's brother"

"Lilian"

After everyone introduced himself, they gathered around the table and waited for Mrs Newkirk to place the found onto the table.

Lilian sat between Peter and one of his nieces, Alice.

The whole family started to eat, and Newkirk noticed that his girlfriend felt a little uncomfortable around his relatives. He squeezed her hand under the table and gave her a confident smile.

"So, Lilian," started his oldest sister, Mary. "Peter told us ya were workin' as a teacher"

"That's true. I have a first grade at Greencoat [1]"

"Greencoat? We went there too"

"Is Mr Gallagher still the headmaster?" This time it was Mavis who asked.

"It's his last year. He retires this summer"

"I still remember how we stole his key chain and hid every single key separately in the school building," remarked Thomas, Peter's oldest brother.

Everyone at the table started to laugh.

"He never found out who was responsible"

"Where did ya go to school, Lilian?" questioned Alexander.

Uncomfortable and not sure how they would react to her having attended a private school, she admitted, "Kensington Primary School"

Henry whistled and said, "Kensington. Yer parents must have a lot of smackers [2]"

Peter kicked his brother underneath the table and Ivy glanced at her husband. "Can't you two behave like grown men"

Mrs Newkirk tried to appease the situation by changing the topic. "Peter mentioned ya 'ave a brother. Are there any other siblings?"

"No, just one brother. He's four years older than me and his name is Samuel"

"Isn't he in town for Christmas?" asked Jack, one of Newkirk's brothers-in-law.

"He is a soldier in the Army. Right now he is stationed in Liverpool and his unit helps a village that was flooded. Therefore, only a few of his comrades were allowed to leave the unit for Christmas and they decided that the guys with kids should leave. So he celebrates Christmas with the rest of his unit"

"Bless yer brother and 'is friends" With this comment, Mr Newkirk joined the conversation.

* * *

"Good night, Mom," said Peter.

"Good night, Peter. And Lilian, I 'ope we see each other again"

"I look forward to it," stated Lilian.

Mrs Newkirk closed the door and Lilian snuggled into Newkirk's side. He held her closely and asked, "How do ya like me family. I'm sorry for 'enry, 'e is such a tosser [3]"

"Funny that you mention it; Ivy told me the same. But I have to say, your family is absolutely wonderful"

"See, I told ya. They love ya, especially me mother"

"Your mother is the most delightful person I have ever met. She acted more like a mother towards me than my own has ever done"

They walked the rest of the way in silence, simply enjoying each others company.

When they reached Lilian's home, Peter asked, "Do ya have any plans for New Year's Eve? 'Cause ya know, Walter holds a party at the pub, and I wondered if ya like to celebrate it with me and the guys?"

"That sounds great"

Peter leaned down and kissed Lilian.

The end of a wonderful day.

* * *

 **[1] Greencoat – Stepney Greencoat Church of England Primary School (it's a real school**

 **in Stepney, UK)**

 **[2] smackers – money**

 **[3] tosser - idiot**

* * *

 **I decided to write down a brief family history about the Newkirk's (and the Wheeler's), so you guys are not confused about who is related to whom. Of course, not everyone appeared in this chapter, but they might have an appearance in later chapters:**

 **The Newkirk's:**

 **Dorothy (54) and William (54) – parents**

 **Thomas (34) – oldest son– married to Annie (32); father of Sarah (5), Lily (2) and**

 **Benjamin (5 months)**

 **Henry (33) – second oldest son – married to Ivy (32); father of Tommy (6) and**

 **Laura (3)**

 **Mary (31) – oldest daughter – married to Philip (31); mother of Eric (9), Alice (6), Isaac (4)**

 **and Patrick (1)**

 **Alexander (29) – third oldest son – married to Irene (27); father of Evan (1)**

 **Emma (28) – second oldest daughter – married to Jack (31); mother of Maggie (2)**

 **Peter (22) - youngest son**

 **Mavis (20) – youngest daughter – boyfriend: Jonathan (20)**

 **The Wheeler's:**

 **Edith (41) and Charles (44) – parents**

 **Samuel (23) – first born**

 **Lilian (19) - second born**


	10. Chapter 10

" _ **Love is whatever you can still betray. Betrayal can only happen if you love" – John le Carre**_

 _February 1938_

"Never!" shouted Charles Wheeler. "No Cockney will ever enter my house!"

"But Father, you never even met Peter. He is really nice," said Samuel.

"Nice? You call a Cockney 'nice'? What are you thinking? They only want to steal from us!" raged the older man.

"How can you say something like that? Peter is a very gentle man, who only wants the best for Lilian"

Even though Samuel tried his best to stay calm, he couldn't help but raise his voice.

"If he really wanted the best for her, he would leave her alone. He has not enough money to support her, not like Michael"

Charles Wheeler sat down beside his wife and poured himself a glass of Bourbon.

"So this is the reason why you don't want Lilian to see Peter? Because of Michael?" asked Samuel in disbelief. "How can you be so egoistic? Michael hurt Lilian when he had cheated on her with his assistant, and you still want him to be your future son in law? What kind of father are you?" yelled Samuel.

He couldn't hide his anger any longer.

Mr Wheeler stood up again and walked over to his son, until he was only a few inches in front of him.

"I'm a father of principles and the head of an outstanding household. What will my friends think of me when they hear that I invited a Cockney to my house, or even worse, when they see that a Cockney is the boyfriend of my daughter? I can't risk our reputation just because Lilian has to go round the bend"

"You are unbelievable, that's what you are," called Samuel out.

He made his way over to his mother and said, "Why don't you say something, Mother. Lilian is your daughter, too"

Edith Wheeler looked up from her magazine she had read while her husband and her son had argued.

"I still think Michael would be the better choice for her"

Samuel threw his head in his head and was just about to rant again, when his mother continued. "He is wealthy, comes from a virtuous family, and he works for your father. He would make a great son-in-law"

She paused. "But maybe we really should invite them over for dinner"

"What?!" yelled Charles. "Am I the only one who is not crazy in this family?"

Edith ignored her angry husband and said, "Samuel, tell Lilian we invite the two of them for dinner, tomorrow at 8 o'clock"

"Great, Mother. I knew I could count on you"

Samuel smiled, gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and exited his childhood home to announce the news to her.

In the living room, a still outraged Charles Wheeler poured himself another drink. "What were you thinking? I thought we both wanted Lilian to marry Michael?"

"You need to know your enemy," smiled Edith mischievously. "Before you can defeat him"

* * *

 _The next day…_

Peter and Lilian were walking through the quiet streets of Kensington, holding hands.

"Is everythin' alright, luv?" asked Peter. "You 'aven't said one single word since we made our way from yer flat"

She looked up from the ground. "I'm alright…I guess"

"Are ya worried about me meetin' yer parents?"

Lilian stopped walking. "I still can't think of a single reason why they agreed to meet you. They were furious the last I had talked about you. And now they are fine with it? I don't trust them"

"People often change their mind…"

"But not my parents," she interrupted. "Especially if it's about the family. I think they are up to something"

Lilian looked up to meet Peter's eyes.

"You have to promise me something. No matter what happens tonight, we will stick together, alright?"

"Lil…"

"No, Peter, I'm serious. I know that my parents will do anything to break us apart. And I have a feeling that tonight, something bad will happen"

He wrapped his arms around her small body.

"Nothin' will tear us apart, I promise"

* * *

"Good evening, Ms Wheeler," said Mr Adams as he opened the door.

"Hello, Mr Adams," greeted Lilian.

"And this is Peter," she said while pointing at her boyfriend.

" 'ello…I mean Good Evening"

Peter was really nervous. He wanted to make a good impression and tried his best to hide the fact that he comes from the East End.

"Please, follow me," Mr Adams said.

While he led the young couple to the dining room, he heard Lilian whisper to the young man.

"You don't have to hide your accent. It's who you are"

Peter didn't react at first because he was astonished by the interior of Lilian's family home. He felt like being at Buckingham Palace, and like he was about to meet the King.

"Peter?"

"Oh, yeah, if ya say so. I just want to impress them"

They entered the dining room and Mr Adams said, "Mr Wheeler, the young Ms Wheeler is here, with company"

He left the room while Mr Wheeler rose from his seat and made his way to his daughter.

"Darling, it is so good to see you again," he said and hugged Lilian. "And I can presume this is Mr Newkirk?"

Lilian was startled. She had not expected her father to greet her and Peter so warmly.

Peter reached out his hand. "That's right, Sir. But ya can call me Peter"

Charles Wheeler tried hard to hide his disgust about the other man's accent.

"Let's move to the table, shall we?"

They settled down, Peter and Lilian on the one side and Mr Wheeler on the other.

"Where is Mother?"

"Upstairs, freshen up herself. You know how your mother is"

Edith Wheeler entered the dining room at that moment. "I'm sorry for my lateness"

She spotted Peter and said, "Welcome to our modest home. I hope you are feeling fine. Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm alright, Mrs Wheeler," he answered.

"Now that we are all assembled, I think it is time to start with dinner," Mr Wheeler announced.

* * *

"Lilian, you will not believe what happened yesterday evening," started Mr Wheeler the conversation. "Someone tried to break into our house!"

"What? Samuel didn't say anything to us," Lilian said shocked.

"It happened after he had left. Your mother and I were having dinner with a friend, Horace Connolly, when Michael called us. He was at our house to deliver me some important documents and he saw a man trying to open the back door. Michael routed him and called the police. Fortunately, Michael saw his face," Mr Wheeler explained.

"Well, 'at is great, Sir. I'm sure the Bobbies will find him," Peter said.

"Hopefully"

Suddenly, the doorbell rang and Mr Adams went to the entrance hall. A few minutes later, he returned. But he was not alone.

With him were two police officers.

Newkirk immediately tensed up. He never liked to be near Bobbies, especially not if you nicked people in the past to put food on the table. They were nine people at home, and his father had not always a job.

"I'm sorry if we interrupt anything, Mr Wheeler," said the older looking officer.

"The respectable London Police never interrupts anything" He stood up from his stool and asked, "What can I do for you, Inspector Tomlinson?"

"We are here to tell you that we maybe know who tried to break into your house. The witness, Michael Abbott, recognized him"

"Who is it?"

The police officer pointed at the table. "According to Mr Abbott's description, the burglar was Mr Newkirk"

Lilian's jaw dropped. "What? That's impossible!"

"I knew it!" yelled Mr Wheeler. "These Cockneys are all criminals"

Newkirk also rose to his feet and said, "I didn't do it, Sir. You have to believe me"

"And why should Michael lie?" questioned Mrs Wheeler.

"Maybe because he's jealous," pointed Lilian out.

"Jealous? Why would he be jealous?" asked Tomlinson, while his assistant took notes.

"We were a couple. I broke up with him, but he never accepted it and the fact that I'm with Peter now"

"Don't be ridiculous, Lilian. Michael is an honest boy, other than this thief," Mr Wheeler said. "Inspector Tomlinson, take him away. I want him to never enter my house again. Ever!"

"Please, Sir. You have to believe me. I would never break into your house," Newkirk pleaded.

Newkirk looked at Lilian, who stood right beside him. "Lil, I have never broken into someone's house. I would never do something like that"

He felt terrible for lying at Lilian, but he thought it was better to lie in that moment than to admit that he had broken into peoples' houses when he was a teenager. Especially if he was just trying to convince the police that he didn't do anything.

"I know that," she said. "You must be mistaken, Inspector"

"I'm afraid that we have to arrest you, Mr Newkirk, until we know exactly what happened," Inspector Tomlinson announced.

He went over to Newkirk and handcuffed him. It was the first time for Newkirk to be innocent while being arrested.

"Don't worry, Peter. Everything will turn out fine. Just don't say anything until your lawyer arrives at the station," reassured Lilian.

"My lawyer?" he asked.

"Trust me. Everything will turn out fine. I promise"

And with that, Newkirk was brought to the police station and Lilian was left behind.

She searched for her purse and said to Mr Adams, "Could you please bring me my coat?"

"What are you doing?" asked her mother.

"I will free my boyfriend"

* * *

 _Ten minutes later…_

Lilian found herself knocking madly at the door.

 _For God's sake, please be home_

The door was open and a sleepy figure stood in the doorframe. "What the hell is going on?"

"It's only half past eight. How can you be asleep?" asked Lilian.

"I didn't have much sleep the last days and I thought I would catch up on some sleep. But the better question is, what are you doing here? I haven't seen you in months"

"Can I come in? It's important"

"Sure, come in"

The still sleepy figure led Lilian into the living room and pointed to the couch. "Sit down"

"I need your help," she instantly came to the point.

"I already figured that out. What happened?"

"I need you as an attorney. Now. Peter was arrested and they accuse him of trying to break into my parents' house"

"Who is Peter? And why don't you just ask your father to help him?"

"Peter is my boyfriend. And my father is one of the people who accuse him. And on top of that, my father hates him. But he really didn't do anything, you have to believe me; and I need you to prove his innocence"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Do you just ask me to work against your father? You do realize he is my boss, don't you? And I should risk that for someone I never even met before?"

"I know it's a lot to ask for, but you have to help me. You promised Samuel to help me if I ever needed legal advice," Lilian tried to coax him.

"You really want me to lose my job, don't you? Do you have any idea how hard I worked to get to where I am now? You are completely out of your mind if you think I would do something as stupid as to work against your father," the other person ranted.

Lilian looked to the ground. She tried hard to gulp back her tears.

"Alright, but I have to say I am really disappointed in you. What is about your codex to help the innocently accused? And that everyone deserves and has a right to have a lawyer?"

She walked to the door, but she turned around before she left and said, "You really are just like my father. And I thought you have sworn to never be like him"

* * *

Lilian leaned against the brick wall. She closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. She didn't know what to do after she was let down by the only person who could help Peter.

She stood there in silence for about five minutes. She heard the front door open, but she didn't open her eyes.

"Well, do you want to stand there forever, or do you want to get your boyfriend out of custody?"

She opened her eyes, staggered by what she just heard.

"You were right, Lilian. I never wanted to be like your father. And I can't believe I was willing to let someone be arrested for something they didn't do just to be on good terms with your father. Thank you for waking me up; literally speaking," he smirked.

Lilian threw her arms around the person standing in front of her. "Thank you so much. You are amazing"

"You have enough time to thank me later. Let's go to the police"


	11. Chapter 11

" _ **The higher you build walls around your heart, the harder you will fall when someone tears them down" - Unknown**_

"Mr Newkirk, just say why you broke into the house of Mr Wheeler, and we can all go home. It was a long day and I'm really exhausted," yawned Inspector Tomlinson and swiped his hand across his forehead.

They were sitting in the interrogation room for thirty minutes, and Newkirk had not said a single word since they left Mr Wheeler's property. He trusted Lilian in getting him out of here, and that everything would turn out fine. But he had trouble to believe that she would be able to get him a lawyer. And even if she managed to do so, he would never be able to afford him. His money barely was enough for food and basic clothing. A lawyer was definitely beyond reach.

"You still don't want to talk, huh? Maybe a stay in our own little prison cell will change your mind"

All of the sudden, the door was opened and two men entered the interrogation room. Newkirk recognized one of them as the Inspector's assistant who was with Tomlinson when he got arrested.

"Inspector Tomlinson, this gentleman wants to talk to you," the assistant said.

The man moved forward to Inspector Tomlinson and reached his hand out. "My name is Benjamin Rhodes and I'm Mr Newkirk's lawyer"

"His lawyer, huh?"

"Yes, and I would like a few moments alone with my client to discuss our next steps"

Still skeptical, Inspector Tomlinson nodded and left the room with his assistant, always eying Newkirk carefully.

After the door closed, Benjamin took a stool, turned it around and sat down, laying his arms on the backrest. "So, Peter, I can call you Peter, can't I? It is important for me to know if you said anything to the Inspector that could incriminate you"

Newkirk, who up to now had his arms crossed in front of him, sat up. "No, I didn't say anythin'. Lil told me to wait until me lawyer would arrive"

"That's great. So the Inspector only has the accusation of Michael and nothing else"

"I'm sorry to ask, but why are ya helpin' me? 'as Lil not told ya 'at I can't afford ya?"

"She told me that, but you don't have to pay me," smiled Benjamin. "I'm one of Samuel's friends and so I'm good friends with Lilian, too. Consider it a friendly turn"

Newkirk was still unsure about the guy sitting in front of him. His times on London's streets had taught him to be careful about everything that seemed to be for free.

"Where's the catch?" Newkirk asked. "Ya don't just 'elp a bloke from the East End ya never met before for free on a Friday night"

"Trust me, there is no catch whatsoever. I'm here to help you avoid a jail sentence," Benjamin assured him.

"So, Lilian told me on our way to the station what happened at Mr Wheeler's house and what you are accused of. She also told you haven't done it. Is that true? Be honest"

"Of course I didn't break into 'is 'ouse! Why would I do somethin' like 'at? I mean, one day before I meet 'im for the first time and try to leave a good impression since I know 'at 'e doesn't think very 'ighly of me. 'at's bloody stupid!" ranted Newkirk.

"I believe you," Benjamin said and held his hands up. "I just needed to be sure. The problem we have is that there is a witness who claims he had seen you trying to open the back door with a picklock"

"Yeah, Michael, 'at prat. Can't 'andle the fact Lil's done with 'im and 'at she's rather with someone from Stepney," he snorted pejoratively.

"That sounds just like him," Benjamin said.

"Ya know 'im?"

"Unfortunately, yes. We work in the same office"

"Wait, ya work for Mr Wheeler? But 'e also thinks I did it. What will 'e say when 'e finds out ya 'elp me?"

"Let that be my worry. Now we have to concentrate on how we convince the police that you are innocent"

Benjamin flicked through the file when something caught his eye. "Wait a moment. Michael said he saw you at the house at around six o'clock. We just have to show Inspector Tomlinson where you were at that time and you're off the hook!"

"Six o'clock ya say? Let me think for a moment; I left Lil's flat at around a quarter to six and went straight to me flat"

"Did you meet anybody on the way who could testify that?" Benjamin asked.

"I don't think so"

Benjamin's face saddened when Newkirk exclaimed, "Wait, there was someone! I walked past a greengrocer. 'e 'ad dropped a potato bag and I picked it up for 'im. Maybe 'e remembers me!"

"Great, I will inform the Inspector about the possible witness and you just wait here for a second," Benjamin said and left the interrogation room.

* * *

Lilian watched as Benjamin entered the interrogation room. She was nervous and paced around the lobby. She hoped with all her heart that Benjamin would be able to help Peter and get him out of this mess. At the same time, she felt anger rising up in her as she thought about Michael and her parents. This would definitely have consequences. She just couldn't believe that they would stage a breaking to make her leave Peter.

She knew that her parents would do something to break them apart, but she would have never, even in her wildest dreams, imagined that they would go so far. She was more and more disgusted by her own family.

Lilian knew she needed to do something. She couldn't just stand around and do nothing. She saw Inspector Tomlinson sitting at his desk with his assistant right beside him and she decided to talk to him.

She approached his desk and said, "Excuse me, Inspector Tomlinson? I would like to talk to you for a moment, please"

He motioned for his assistant to leave and asked, "What is on your mind, my dear?"

"It's about Peter, Sir. I know I'm his girlfriend and therefore you probably think I am biased, but you have to believe me when I say that he's innocent. He would never do something like that. I mean, he told my father that he hoped the burglar would be caught!"

"He would never do something like that, huh?"

"That's right, Inspector. He told me he had never broken into someone's house before, so why should he start now?" asked Lilian.

"Well, I'm afraid I have to tell you that Mr Newkirk lied to you, Miss. We have a record about him"

"A…record?" Lilian stammered.

"That is true, Ms Wheeler. Here it is," Inspector Tomlinson said, and pointed to the file lying on his desk. "First contact with the law enforcement at the age of ten as a con artist. What followed were multiple minor crimes as a thief and burglar. Not big enough for heavy jail sentences, but he did serve his occasional time in a police cell"

Lilian was shocked. The Inspector had caught her completely off guard. She couldn't believe that Peter had lied to her multiple times, betraying her trust.

Tomlinson saw how Benjamin came out of the interrogation room, waving at him to come back.

"Please excuse me, Miss, but I need to go. If you want to talk about it, just wait here and I will return as fast as possible," explained the Inspector and left his desk.

* * *

"Is your client now willing to tell me why he did it?" asked Tomlinson as he entered the room.

"Not really, Inspector. You see, we have a witness who can testify that Mr Newkirk was at the other end of London when the breaking took place. A greengrocer in Whitechapel," explained Benjamin with a triumphal smile.

"Is that so, Mr Rhodes?" Tomlinson looked at Newkirk. "We will talk to him in the morning. Until then, you will be in custody, Mr Newkirk"

Tomlinson walked over to Newkirk and pulled him up roughly from his seat.

"Not so rough, Inspector. If he has any bruises when I arrive here tomorrow, I will complain to a higher authority," Benjamin warned.

Inspector Tomlinson ignored Benjamin's remark and led Newkirk out of the room. When he saw Lilian still standing at his desk, he ordered his assistant to bring Newkirk to his cell.

Tomlinson retreated to his desk and Lilian asked, "What are you doing with him now?"

"Mr Rhodes told me that there was a witness who saw Mr Newkirk in Whitechapel during the time of crime. We will see the witness tomorrow morning. If he confirms that, we will release him"

"So he stays here overnight?" she questioned worried.

"Yes, Miss"

Lilian nodded and bit her lip. There was so much she wanted to ask Peter and she couldn't wait until tomorrow.

"Can I see him, Inspector? Just for five minutes, please. It's very important"

He eyed her and eventually sighed. "Alright, but only for five minutes"

She thanked him and he led her to the police cells.

* * *

Newkirk saw how the door to the hallway with the cells was opened. He jumped up from his cot and ran to the bars when he caught sight of Lilian.

"Lil, am I glad to see ya!" Newkirk exclaimed.

Lilian moved closer to the bars, but lowered her eyes to avoid eye contact. His betrayal just hurt too much.

"Don't worry, luv. It looks far worse than it actually is. Benjamin says I will get out of 'ere tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, thanks for gettin' me a lawyer. I think 'is presence really impressed Tomlinson," laughed Newkirk.

Lilian still had not said one word, and therefore Newkirk started to get worried. " 'ey, luv, is everythin' alright? I mean, ya believe me when I say 'at I didn't break into yer parents' 'ouse, do ya?"

"To be honest, I don't even know what to believe anymore," Lilian said.

"Come again?"

"You told me multiple times that you never before broke into someone's house or picked someone's pockets. You said I should trust you. And I did that. I trusted you with all my heart, because I couldn't think of a single reason why you should lie to me. Especially after I told you everything about Michael and how his lying and cheating hurt me" Her voice began to tremble. "You said to me…that you would never…hurt me like he did. And now I have to learn about…your record with the police because of pick-pocketing and thievery"

Newkirk sighed and looked to the ground. He had feared the moment she would learn about his past.

"Lil, I am so unbelievable sorry about this whole situation," he started.

Newkirk reached forward through the bars to her hands, but Lilian moved a few steps back.

"Just tell me why you lied to me," she demanded.

"I was afraid 'at if I told the Bobbies about me record, they would instantly think I did it, without lookin' for the real culprit"

Lilian wiped away her tears and sniveled, "That would maybe explain why you lied today, but why did you lie a few weeks ago when we talked about Hannah getting robbed? You told me you could not understand why someone would rob her and said you never did something like that"

She looked Peter in the eyes. "We were alone, Peter! All alone. No police who threatened you, just me. You lied to me twice"

Lilian turned around and walked back to the doors.

"Wait, Lilian, don't go away. I can explain everythin'," Newkirk yelled.

She stopped for a moment, but left the room eventually.

* * *

Peter saw Lilian leaving and rested his forehead against the bars. He closed his eyes and fought back his tears. Anger at himself washed through his body and he bashed at the bars for several minutes.

The love of his life just walked out on him and it was completely his fault.

Yet another relationship destroyed because of his incapability to trust other people.

He took off his suit coat and laid it down on the cot. He wanted to look good for Lilian's parents, and so he had put on his stage suit he always wore during his shows. It was the finest piece of clothing he had in his wardrobe. Newkirk sat down on the cot and laid his head in his hands. He had to find a way to win Lilian back.

And he would.


	12. Chapter 12

**First of all, I want to thank all of you guys who followed my story or made it a favorite! I'm unbelievable grateful for you, because you motivate me to keep up with the story, even though I sometimes have absolutely no idea what to write! You guys are amazing!**

 **Further on, I will be at a class trip to Nice, France the next week, so I can't write or upload. That's why I wrote this extra long chapter, so you guys have something to read for the next two weeks or so.**

 **Have fun :)**

* * *

" _ **Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them" – Bruce Lee**_

Newkirk left the police station the next morning. Benjamin was able to prove his innocence and thus, Tomlinson had no other choice than to release Peter and stop the investigation. Although Benjamin told him there wouldn't be any further investigations against Michael and the Wheelers for falsely reporting a crime and false suspicion, since they were good friends with the Inspector, he was happy that this whole ordeal was over.

Newkirk turned up his collar and wrapped his suit jacket tighter around his body. The cold London morning breeze gave him goosebumps and additionally, he was pretty worn out from last night. A cot in the police cells is not the most comfortable "bed" to sleep on; besides, he wasn't much in a sleeping mood anyway. His thoughts always wandered back to Lilian and the hurtful expression on her face when she confronted him about his past.

He had to blink a few tears back. His tough and easygoing appearance was mostly an act he played to hide his self-doubts and to survive the rough streets of London's East End. Being known as a pansy meant you should do your testament. That's why Newkirk carefully maintained the image of being a cold-ass guy who isn't afraid of any brawl. In reality, he had trust issues and constantly needed to boost his ego. That was probably the reason why he had decided to become a performer. When he was on a stage, and everyone clapped and cheered for him, he was able to forget everything around him and be himself. And even if it was only for about an hour, he always looked forward to it and enjoyed every single minute.

Newkirk searched in his pockets for a few coins so that he could use the bus to get to Whitechapel. He had to explain everything and hopefully he would be able to win Lilian back. The last few months with Lilian had been incredible. Before he had met her, he was only interested in some hanky panky with beautiful girls he would never meet again. This was his thing. He never thought about committing to a long-term relationship, yet alone a marriage! If you had told Newkirk a few years ago, he would someday meet a girl with whom he actually wants to build a life together; he would have thought you were going around the bend! But with Lilian, everything was different. She didn't care about his heritage, accepted him for who he is and with her, he was able to let all his walls come down. Lilian made him laugh and she was really interested in his stage performances. It became some sort of a routine that she was the first one to see new tricks he came up with, and only if they passed her judgment, he would incorporate them in his show.

But obviously, he did not trust her as much as he thought he would. Otherwise, he would have told her that he did some pick-pocketing in his youth. And deep down inside him, Newkirk knew Lilian would have understood why he did it.

But now his problem was to regain her trust; something he knew all too well was an extremely difficult task.

* * *

Lilian lay on her bed, facing the wall. She felt like she's been hit by a train and dragged along for miles. Last night after she left the police station, she walked home as fast as possible, then lay on her bed and cried the entire night. She expected something to happen; her parents always tried to manipulate her into doing what they want. But accusing Peter of a break-in? Even for her parents these measures were extreme.

She started to sob again. Thinking of him made her heart ache and she wished she could just forget about his lies. But for her, honesty and trust were the most important aspects in a relationship, and she valued them even more after Michael's affair.

Michael. Everything came back to him. Lilian hated herself for inwardly comparing Peter with Michael all the time. But it was something she couldn't make her brain stop doing. And for the most part, Peter was by all accounts so much better. He made her feel safe and worshipped; something Michael had never done. For example, Peter sometimes gave her randomly flowers, or little gifts to show her his affection. Michael only gave her gifts when he had to apologize. Lilian had always felt that he was cheating on her. He was always late from work, he smelled like women's perfume and one time she discovered lipstick on a shirt collar of his. When she told her parents about her concerns, their only response was that Michael's a decent boy and that she should stop with the accusations. From this time on, Lilian persuaded herself that everything would be fine and that she should ignore the evidence. And for some time she was successful with swallowing down her feelings and being numb inside. Until she caught him fooling around with his secretary, which was some sort of an eye-opener. She left Michael the same day and started her new life.

But now, Peter had also lied to her, multiple times. And Lilian started to worry that he had betrayed her trust more often and that she had to endure everything she went through yet again. Lilian sniveled and wiped her tears away. She couldn't do that again. She couldn't bear another miserable relationship in which she had to act like a lifeless machine.

Lilian picked herself up and stood up from the bed. She shuffled to the bathroom to refresh herself. Life must go on. She deserved a trustful relationship with a faithful man who was honest and caring, and Lilian wouldn't settle for anything less.

Not again.

She immediately checked herself in the mirror when she reached the bathroom. Her usually voluminous dark brown hair was now a frizzy mess and her warm yellow green eyes were bloodshot and dull. She looked like the living dead. Lilian filled the sink with cold water and washed her face and hair. After she was finished, she changed into a dark blue dress with a lace-trimmed front and went back into her bedroom and opened up the curtains to let the fresh morning air into her flat.

Lilian gazed out the window, when she heard a knock on the door. She made her way to the door, while wondering who would visit her this early on a Saturday morning.

She opened the door and was shocked when she saw Peter standing in front of her.

" 'ey," was all Newkirk said.

Lilian didn't answer. She looked to the ground and wished she could escape this awkward situation.

"Ya know, Benjamin convinced Tomlinson 'at I'm innocent, and so 'e dropped the charges 'at were 'old against me"

"That's good," Lilian said with her eyes still focused on the ground.

Newkirk fumbled with his jacket. He was more nervous than before any of his performances. "Can I come in?"

Lilian looked up and glanced at Newkirk's slender hands. Biting her lip, she moved from the door to clear the way for Newkirk to enter. He smiled and walked towards the living room. He looked around the hallway and saw many photographs of Samuel, on some he posed with Lilian but mostly he was alone. One picture caught his attention. It was the only one with a golden frame and it showed Samuel in his Service Dress uniform, sitting on a rock under the Union Jack flag. Even though he was smiling into the camera, you could clearly see the exhaustion in his face. The background looked like a desert, which meant that this picture was taken during Samuel's first battle experience, at the beginning of the Arab Revolt in Palestine [1]. He had told Newkirk about it when they first met at Lilian's birthday a week ago.

Lilian followed Newkirk into her living room and settled herself next to him on the couch.

"Do you want something to drink?" She had learned from her nanny to always offer your guests something to drink and to be honest, she tried to avoid the upcoming conversation.

"No, I'm good, but thanks" Newkirk reached out for her hands. "Lilian, I'd like to apologize. I know it was wrong to 'ide me past and I'm unbelievable sorry for lyin' to ya. I promise ya, I will never lie to ya again"

She wrung out of his grasps and put a flick of hair behind her ear. "I would like to believe you, but Michael always said the same. Yet I still caught him with his secretary"

"Ya 'ave to believe me, Lilian, I did a lot of stupid things in me life, but I never cheated on the girls I was with. I would never do anythin' as awful as 'at."

Lilian tried to blink her tears away, and then she slightly shook her head. "I would like to believe you, I really would. I just need some time to think about everything"

She stood up from the couch and motioned for Newkirk to leave.

"Please, Lilian, ya can take me word for it. I will never 'urt ya again, and I do whatever ya want me to do so 'at I can prove it to ya"

"Just go"

* * *

"Ms Wheeler, what a pleasant surprise. What can I do for you?" asked Mr Adams after he opened the door.

"Hello, Mr Adams" Lilian smiled. "Are my parents at home? It's very urgent that I can talk to them"

"Your mother is at Mrs Hayward's Saturday evening coffee party. But your father is present. Go to the reception room and I will get your father"

Mr Adams let Lilian enter and closed the door behind her. "Oh, how is Mr Newkirk doing? Is he still with the police?"

"He is fine. The police had to stop the investigation because there was a witness who saw him at the other end of London while it happened. But could you please get my father, it is very important" Lilian tried to change the subject.

"Of course, Ms Wheeler"

Lilian walked into the reception room and waited for her father to come down. She had cleaned her flat to distract herself the whole morning, when Benjamin came over and told her exactly about her parents and Michael's role in the breaking. She was furious and was now here to confront at least her father with this information. Although she didn't know what would happen to her relationship with Peter, she had to make clear to her parents that they went beyond the pale.

"Lilian, darling, it's so good to see you! How are you feeling? I mean, yesterday was much to bear, but I'm sure you will be alright in a few days. I could ask Michael to take care of you," she heard her father saying.

She turned around and saw Mr Wheeler coming at her and embracing her.

"I'm fine, Father," she said. "But you're right, yesterday was a horrible day"

"I told you, Cockneys are all criminals. You should have listened to me"

"I was not talking about Peter. I was talking about Michael, Mother, and you, faking a burglary and incriminating Peter so that we would break up. Are you completely out of your mind?" Her eyes darkened and she started yelling the last part.

"I don't know what you are talking about, darling. We would never do something like that. We are decent people" Mr Wheeler went to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of Bourbon.

"Decent people? You three are the most vicious people I know"

"Watch your mouth, young lady! You are in my house, and I will not tolerate you talking to me like this"

"Your manipulative behavior might have worked when I was younger and still living in this household, but now that I have my own flat and make my own money, I will no longer accept you and Mother messing with my life. I'm old enough to make my own decisions"

"And look how imbecile your decisions are! You break up with the boy who will be in the High Court of Justice one day, to be with a waster whose highest achievements are playing in some ruddy pubs! You throw away a solid future, just to revolt against us. What a childish behavior!"

"There's no point in talking to you any longer" Lilian marched to her father. "You know what, Father? Maybe you are right. Maybe I throw away a solid future by following my heart. But at least I can look into the mirror at night" She stopped in front of him and said, "I want to never see you again. All you rich prigs make me sick. Hopefully, Mother and you are happy now"

Lilian exited the room and left a startled Mr Wheeler behind. He couldn't believe what just happened.

He gazed after his daughter when his butler brought him back from his thoughts. "Is everything alright, Mr Wheeler? Do you need anything?"

"Mr Adams, could you please phone Mrs Hayward and tell my wife she needs to come home as fast as possible. Something unbelievable happened"

* * *

Lilian was resting on her couch, listening to the BBC and reading the newspaper. It's been one week since she stopped talking to her parents. And to be honest, it was great. She had never felt this carefree in her entire life. She didn't worry about new plans from her parents to push her into a marriage with Michael or keep her away from pursuing her dreams. But it's also been a week since she last talked to Peter. Every day she was crying over this terrible situation, though she couldn't bring herself to forgive him. Each time she felt ready to get over his lying and believing him he wouldn't lie anymore, she heard this little voice in the back of her mind screaming she should not trust him anymore or otherwise she would end up like a picture of misery again. Not even Hannah was able to coax her into condone Peter and normally, Hannah could prompt Lilian into anything she wanted.

Suddenly, someone knocked on her door. She laid down the newspaper and walked into the hallway. She opened the door and was surprised to see Mavis Newkirk standing in the corridor.

"Mavis? What are you doing here?"

"I 'ope I'm not interruptin' anythin'," she answered. "I'm 'ere to talk about Peter"

Lilian's face saddened, but she stepped aside to let her in. They walked into the living room while Lilian offered Mavis something to drink. Latter one declined politely and the two women sat down.

"You said you wanted to talk about Peter. Did something happen to him?" The fact that Peter's sister visited her alarmed Lilian.

"Oh, no. 'e is physically alright, but emotionally 'e is a wreckage"

Lilian started to feel uneasy, because she had a feeling in which direction this would go.

"Ya need to know, Peter is the most stubborn men I know. 'e 'as 'is pride and so 'e 'ates to admit 'at 'e feels awful. If any of us offers our 'elp, 'e declines it and says 'e will manage it on 'is own. But I see 'ow it's getting' worse from day to day. Now 'e spends the whole day at the Red Lions drinkin' 'imself into oblivion," Mavis explained.

What she heard broke Lilian's heart. She had no idea that this situation weighed upon him so badly. She also had a hard time coping with everything, but she had never thought that their split-up would throw Peter off the track so severely.

"I had no idea that our relationship was so important for him"

"Ya are the first girl he has ever cried over" Mavis stopped for a moment. " 'e told me why ya were angry with 'im"

"Mavis, you have to understand, I've made horrible experiences with lies and betrayal. I just don't know if I can go down that road again," Lilian pleaded.

"But 'at is why I'm 'ere. I want ya to understand why 'e lied to ya. And for 'at we 'ave to talk about our childhood"

"I'm all ears," Lilian said.

"Ya already know where we are from, so ya also know we're not well off in the money department. When I was born, our oldest brother was fourteen years ol', so there was a time when we were nine people at 'ome. Our dad 'ad no job and our mom was a dancer, so not really a well-paid job. We were always short on money, though we somehow managed to get through the years. As we got older, our siblings started workin', though they didn't make enough to support us. At the age of twelve, Peter 'ad mastered the art of bein' a con artist. 'is 'ands were magical and 'e could pat the people down without them noticin'. Don't get me wron'; 'e was not proud of 'imself for jackin' others. 'e just tried to get some food on the table for 'is family. And years later, lon' after 'is connin' days were over, 'e meets a lovely youn' girl from Kensington who sweeps 'im off 'is feet. It's the first time 'at 'e is really in love, and 'e is afraid of losin' 'er. One day, 'e learns 'at this special girl can't stand stealin', which is why 'e lies about 'is past, because 'e is afraid 'at she will ditch 'im instantly"

Lilian glanced to the ground. "He loves me?"

"Yes, 'e does" Mavis smiled. "Ya 'ave to believe me, ya are the most important person to 'im. Peter loves ya with all 'is 'eart and 'e wished 'e could turn back time to be 'onest with ya right from the start"

Lilian also started to smile. "I don't want to sound mean, but I have to ask you to leave because there is someone I have to talk to right now"

Mavis nodded and together they left Lilian's flat, heading for Stepney.

* * *

She immediately saw Peter when she entered the pub. He was sitting at the bar, talking Walter while sipping at his beer. Walter spotted Lilian, smiling sadly at her and she moved closer to the two men.

" 'ey, Lilian," Walter greeted while wiping the counter.

Peter swirled around and he couldn't quite believe his eyes at first. "Lilian? Is it really ya?"

"Yes, it is me. Say, can we go somewhere more private? I would like to talk with you"

"Sure"

Peter stood up from his stool and went with Lilian to the back of the pub to sit at one of the tables, which gave them a more private atmosphere.

They sat down and he asked, "Is everythin' alright?"

"Yes, everything is fine. I mean, as good as it can be, all things considered"

Newkirk lowered his glance and watched his hands. They lay on the table and he rubbed his hands nervously. Lilian noticed his movements and laid her hands onto his and started to caress them. He liked the feeling of her soft hands massaging his; the tingling gradually relaxed him.

"Mavis told me why you were stealing as a kid," she said straightforwardly.

Puzzled, he looked up from their hands.

"Why didn't you tell me about your family's financial problems?"

Newkirk sighed. "I didn't want ya to pity me"

"Oh, Peter. What is wrong with being pitied by someone who cares about one?"

She put one of her hands on his cheek, stroking his skin. "From now on, I don't want any more secrets between the two of us, okay? Whatever there is, we will tell the other one"

"Ya mean, ya give this another go?"

Lilian smiled. "I love you, Peter. And whatever happens, we will get through it together"

"I love ya too"

* * *

 **[1] Great Arab Revolt in Palestine -** **The** **1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine** **was a nationalist uprising by Palestinian Arabs in Mandatory Palestine against the British administration of the Palestine Mandate, demanding Arab independence and the end of Jewish immigration as the League of Nations had authorized in 1922. In the end, it was unsuccessful.**


	13. Chapter 13

" _ **The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability" – Remy**_

 _May 1938_

Lilian left Mrs Rogers' post office and headed to Mr Bennett's greengrocery. Peter would come over to her flat in the evening and she decided to cook dinner for them, and she needed some more vegetables for their dinner. On her way through the streets of Whitechapel, filled with children playing and screaming and mother's who hang out the laundry, she had the feeling like someone was following her, like every time she was walking alone in the last couple of months. Lilian turned around multiple times, but could not see anyone suspicious. Since this feeling continued to stay and made her uncomfortable, she increased her pace and was almost running. She only started to calm down when she reached the greengrocery. Lilian breathed deeply and turned around once more. Again, she saw nothing and entered Mr Bennett's shop.

"Good evening, Mr Bennett," greeted Lilian.

"Lovely evening to you too, Ms Wheeler" Mr Bennett looked up from his crossword puzzle. "Is everything alright, my dear? You look like you saw a ghost!"

Lilian looked sheepishly to the ground. "On my way I had the feeling like someone was following me. But I'm probably just paranoid"

"Well, I think you should always trust your instincts," Mr Bennett answered.

"Maybe you are right, Mr Bennett. By the way, how are your wife and children?"

"Everyone's fine. Thank you for asking. Johnny got a new job at the docklands and Ruby is expecting her first child," he said proudly.

"That's amazing! Please pass on my best wishes. You must be very happy"

"I am; after all, it is my first grandchild. Mildred already started to knit clothing for the baby," Mr Bennett smiled.

Lillian laughed and went to the tables with the vegetables. She collected everything she needed and paid.

"Thank you for your purchase and have a delightful evening, Ms Wheeler"

"Thank you, Mr Bennett, and goodbye"

She left the greengrocery and put the vegetables in her handbag while walking. She didn't pay much attention to her surroundings, and ended up running into someone.

"I'm sorry, Mister. I didn't see where I was going" She looked up and was shocked. "Michael? What are you doing here?"

"I'm just taking care of you. After all, this is not a safe place for you to be on your own. And if this Peter guy is not protecting you, I have to"

He moved forward and placed a hand on Lilian's shoulder, but she shoved him away.

"Are you kidding me?"

She was outraged. What has got into him to make him following her? But now she realized that her feeling about being watched the past few months was indeed right.

"Have you been following me around for the last couple of months?"

"Of course I have," started Michael. "Someone has to protect you"

Lilian shook her head in disbelief and started to walk away. This whole situation was creeping her out and she had to get away from Michael. But she didn't get very far, because he sprinted after her and held Lilian at the arm. He pushed her against the wall and jammed Lilian between him and the wall.

"Michael, stop it! Let me go!"

She tried to wend herself out of this position, but his grip on her arms was too tight.

"Don't you understand, Lilian? I'm only taking care of you. These people here are dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt"

"They don't hurt me, but you do" She tried to shove him away, but did not succeed. "You are crazy, Michael! Let me go!"

"I will never let you go again, sweetheart. We are made for each other"

Michael leaned in closer to kiss Lilian, but she stepped on his foot as hard as possible. He winced in pain and let her go for a short moment, which gave Lilian enough time to get out of her compromising position and ran back to Mr Bennett's greengrocery. It was already closed, but she battered at the door and hoped Mr Bennett would open up before Michael got to her. She looked to the right and saw how Michael ran into her direction. Panic-stricken she battered at the door again, and luckily, Mr Bennett opened the door.

Lilian stormed into his shop and almost screamed at him. "Please, Mr Bennett, you have to hide me from him. He is crazy!"

"Who is crazy, my dear?"

"Michael, my former boyfriend. He is the one who was following me. Please, you have to lock the door!" Lilian was on the brink of a panic attack.

Mr Bennett went to the door and locked it, just in time before Michael reached it.

He tapped against the door. "Lilian, come on, open the door. I don't want to harm you!"

"Leave my shop or I call the police," Mr Bennett said and turned around. "My lord, you are trembling, my dear"

He walked to Lilian and embraced her. "Don't worry, my dear, I will call the police. He will not hurt you"

Mr Bennett went to the counter when Lilian said, "Don't call the police. They won't do anything to him anyway. Could you please phone Butler's tailoring and ask for Peter to come over?"

Mr Bennett shrugged. "As you wish. And you can go to the back room and put the kettle on whilst I am at the phone"

He smiled reassuring and Lilian walked to the back room while Michael was still calling for her outside the shop.

* * *

Lilian and Mr Bennett sat at the counter and drank their cuppa. Michael had left the shop about ten minutes ago, after Lilian did not react to his strident calling. She was relieved to see him leaving, but at the same time feared another unwelcome meeting. She was uneasy at the thought that Michael had followed her all around the last few months and feared that another join up would not end well after his violent shoving earlier.

"Thank you for letting me in, Mr Bennett. I don't know what would have happened otherwise"

Mr Bennett laid a hand on her hand. "It was nothing! A gentleman always helps a damsel in distress"

"And I really don't bother you? I mean, you already closed your shop" Lilian never wanted to seem like a burden to anyone, and especially not to such kind hard-working people like Mr Bennett or Mrs Rogers.

"Of course you are no burden to me. I have to stay after closing time anyway to clean up for the next day. I don't want to stand up too early in the morning" He sipped at his cup. "I'm no spring chicken anymore"

Lilian laughed and sipped at her cup when she saw Peter running down the street through the shop window and battering at the door. Mr Bennett gave Lilian a questioning look, but rose from his seat to open the door after she had nodded to him.

"Is Lilian alright?" Peter asked immediately after he entered the shop.

"I'm fine, Peter" Lilian emerged from behind the counter and he flung his arms around her.

He was completely out of breath from running the whole distance between his sister's tailoring in Stepney and the greengrocery in Whitechapel. He had dropped everything when his worried sister had told him about Mr Bennett's phone call.

"Are ya sure? What 'appened?" He didn't let go of Lilian's hands.

"I came here to buy some vegetables because of our dinner tonight. I ran into somebody after I had left the shop, and I looked up to apologize when I noticed it was Michael. He told me that he was following me to protect me. I tried to go away, but he shoved me against the wall. So I kicked him and ran back to the shop and Mr Bennett locked us in"

Peter grew angrier with every word she said. "This bastard! I will kill 'im!"

She laid her hands on his shoulders and massaged them slightly. "Calm down, Peter. You won't do anything that could land you in prison. Promise me that!"

"All right," he sighed.

Lilian smiled and collected her coat and handbag from behind the counter. She thanked Mr Bennett for his help and together with Peter she left the greengrocery. He was holding her hand tightly while they made their way to Lilian's flat.

* * *

"Why 'ave ya not told me ya 'ad the feelin' like someone was followin' ya?"

Peter stood in the doorway to Lilian's kitchen and smoked a cigarette while she was cooking their dinner.

"I thought I was just imagining the whole thing. How should I have known that Michael would turn into a crazy psychopath who shadows me around?"

"Well, I know one thin' for sure; I won't leave ya alone tonight. I will stay overnight in case 'e shows up"

Lilian turned around and wiped her hands dry with a kitchen towel. "You don't have to, Peter. He didn't show up the last couple of months; why should he now?"

"Because 'e is crazy!" Newkirk exclaimed. "Don't ya see 'ow dangerous Michael is? I mean, 'e already got physical. This time nothin' 'appened, but what 'appens if 'e catches ya a second time?"

Newkirk moved closer to Lilian and placed her hands in his. "I don't want ya to get hurt"

She smiled and stood on her tiptoes to give him a kiss. He slung his arms around her waist, pulling her closer and deepening the kiss.

After a while, their lips parted and Newkirk looked at the stove. "I think I leave ya to yer cooking now, before the sauce burns"

* * *

 _The next morning…_

Newkirk had left Lilian's place after breakfast to change his clothes and to buy new cigarettes. At first, he didn't want to leave her alone, but she was able to convince him that she was capable of being alone in her own flat for a while. Especially since Michael has not shown up after the incident at the shop. Newkirk was way more anxious about the whole situation than Lilian, but it was comforting for her to know that someone worried about her well-being. She had not spoken to her parents since the fight with her father, and it seemed like it didn't bother them that their daughter had turned away from them. They had not made a single effort to get in contact with her again, or to apologize for their behavior. Lilian knew from Benjamin that they seemed to be happy with the situation and lived their life like nothing happened. Of course Benjamin was not able to tell her much about her father's behavior, since he was fired shortly after the charges against Peter were dropped. Her father was furious when he was informed by Inspector Tomlinson about Benjamin's role as Peter's lawyer. Lilian felt responsible for the dismissal and offered to help him get his job back, but Benjamin didn't want to work for Mr Wheeler ever again. He was sick of the scheming and lies Mr Wheeler required of him to free rich businessmen. For him this was the chance to be the lawyer he always wanted to be, and to change his life for good. He moved to Brixton and started working in a small law office that was determined to help the ordinary people, and not London's upper class.

Lilian was currently cleaning the kitchen when she heard someone knocking on the door. In the belief that it was Newkirk, she made her way to the entrance door. The person on the other side was knocking again.

"I'm there in a second!" called Lilian while putting her apron off.

"I can wait, sweetheart"

Lilian froze. "Michael?"

"Yes, darling, it's me. I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. Can I come in?" said the voice through the door.

This could not be true. Her heart started pounding and Lilian tried to think of a way to make him leave. She just hoped that Newkirk would arrive soon.

"Well, Michael, everything is alright. You don't have to apologize" Lilian went to the door.

"I made you feel uncomfortable and I hate myself for that. I only want to protect you"

Lilian turned around and looked at the clock in the hallway. Peter had left twenty minutes ago, which meant that he should be back any minute.

"That's utterly nice of you, Michael, but you don't have to protect me. I'm old enough to take care of myself. Besides, the only one who is making me uncomfortable is you"

There was silence. Lilian thought that he had maybe left her place, but her hopes were crushed when she heard him saying, "Did your new guy tell you this?"

He sounded angry. All of the sudden, he started banging against the door. "Let me in, Lilian, or you will regret it!"

"Michael, you scare me! Just go away and leave me alone. We are not a couple anymore; you should live your own life"

"We were engaged, Lilian! You belong to me!" Michael banged against the door again. "If you don't open the door now, I will break it!"

Lilian stepped back and looked panicky for a place to hide. She ran to the living room and locked the door, then she slid to the ground and tried to stay calm, but she started trembling.

"You have five seconds!" screamed Michael. "One, two –"

"What the bloody 'ell are ya doin' 'ere?" said another voice.

It was Peter. Lilian jumped to her feet and opened the living room door. She moved quickly to the entrance door and heard the two men fight. Then someone was shoved against the door. She flinched back a few steps.

"Leave 'er alone, do ya understand me? Or ya will get the shock of yer life, trust me"

Another bang against the door.

"Now bugger off, or ya will leave this buildin' in a coffin"

Lilian heard how someone left the hallway.

"Ya can open up now, Lil. 'e is gone," Peter said softly through the door.

She opened the door and was shocked to see Peter's lip burst.

"Oh my God, Peter! Are you alright?"

She hugged him and then she led him to the living room.

"I'm fine; nothin' to worry about. But is everythin' alright with ya? What did 'e want from ya?"

Lilian sat Peter down on the couch and saw that his knuckles were torn open and slightly swollen.

"At first he said he wanted to apologize" She walked into the kitchen, took a cloth from the kitchen sink and made it wet. "I told him to live his own life. Then he lost his temper and threatened me to open the door, or otherwise I would regret it. Luckily, that was the moment you arrived"

She came back from the kitchen and sat beside Newkirk. She took the cloth and gently dapped his lip to clean it up. She did the same with his knuckles.

"Yeah, thank lord. I don't want to think about what 'ad 'appened if not"

He winced when the cloth touched his right hand.

"I'm sorry," said Lilian.

After she finished cleaning his wounds, she snuggled into his side and placed her head on his chest. He pulled her close and placed his right hand on her back, while holding her right hand in his left. He stroked the soft back of her hand with his thumb.

"Does 'e know where 'annah lives?" Peter asked, not stopping to caress Lilian's hand.

"I don't think so. Why?"

"I think it's best if ya stay with 'er for a while. Until we know what to do with 'im"

Lilian, who up until now thought Michael was no big threat to her, sighed, "You are probably right"

"And I think we should talk to Benjamin. 'e will know what to do"

Lilian nodded against his chest. She closed her eyes and hoped that everything would turn fine.

* * *

 **Author's note: I know that a telephone connection was not common to have in the 1930s, especially in the poorer districts. You mostly had a telephone cell in the neighborhood you had to use. But it was common for shop owner's to have a connection, so I thought that maybe Mr Bennett and Newkirk's sister had one in their shops.**


	14. Chapter 14

" _ **Like branches on a tree we grow in different directions yet our roots remain as one. Each of our lives will always be a special part of the other" – Unknown**_

 _Dear little Sis,_

 _I have amazing news to tell you. I've been promoted to Corporal! Isn't this great? My platoon leader said I was the first one he suggested to our CO when he asked for his promotion advices. He said that after the required six years of military service, and because of my ability to be calm and quick-thinking in stress situations, I have earned those two stripes more than any other of our platoon. And my section commander apparently told him that I was an incredible reliable second in command the past three years, and it would be enriching for our army to have me as a first commander. You know what that means? I get my own section to command! I can't describe how happy I am. Can you believe it? Me, Corporal Samuel Wheeler, as a commander of 20 men? 20! The only thing I'm not looking forward is the pesky paperwork; I mean, we are trained to fight the enemy on the battleground. Why do we have to make a total of 3 copies for headquarters to report on how much lavatory paper we used in the past month? But my platoon leader always says, "Only a well-organised army wins wars. Even the best fighting army is of no use if the High Command is an unorganised bunch of generals" Well, hopefully I'll survive. But the other good news is that I'm getting moved to a new base, since we already have enough corporals in our regiment. I'm getting deployed to London! This means that we can see each other more often; almost every weekend! I can't wait to see everyone again. But I have to wait until the paperwork is done. We may be efficient in copies, but not in speed. But I'm sure I'm back in London in two weeks._

 _Take care of you and say hello to Peter_

 _Samuel_

Lilian laid down the letter and started smiling. Her brother would finally come back home. After his promotion to Lance Corporal about three years ago, she only saw him two to three times a year, because he had a lot of administrative duties to do, which prevented him from getting a weekend pass most of the time. And even if he had a pass for a change, he could not come to visit London as often as he wished to, as he was stationed in Liverpool; on the other side of the country. More than five ours by train. But now she could see at least one family member regularly.

"What's the good news?" asked Hannah, taking Lilian back to reality.

She looked up from the table and said. "Samuel's coming back to London. He got promoted and is now stationed here"

"That's amazing" Hannah put a plate of scrambled eggs with toast in front of Lilian. "When is he coming?"

"He doesn't know it for sure, but probably in two weeks"

Before Lilian started to eat, she said, "By the way, thank you so much for letting me stay with you. I mean, I already occupy your couch for two weeks; I know this must be annoying for you"

"Are you kidding me? I'm not annoyed, I'm glad I can help; and you can stay as long as you want"

Lilian smiled. "Are you sure? I'm sure John is not delighted by this situation"

"John's a grown man; he can handle it" Hannah put a hand on Lilian's hand. "Besides, that's what friends are for"

Lilian nodded and started to eat her breakfast.

"Since we already broached the topic, what does Benjamin plan to do about the whole situation with Michael?"

"He can't really do anything, because Michael is a respected lawyer with connections to the very top of London. We just hope that he will stop following me around soon"

Hannah stirred around in her tea. "What about Peter? What's his opinion on everything?"

"He is concerned about me. The last two weeks he tried to be with me whenever I was alone, in case Michael shows up again. I told him this was not necessary, since Michael doesn't know where you live, but I could not stop him"

"I think it's cute," announced Hannah.

Lilian gave Hannah a questioning look, and Hannah continued, "I mean, he willingly wants to spend time with you instead of his friends. You should be happy about it. I practically have to drag John into the movies in order to spend some time with him"

"Don't worry about it; I'm sure he is just exhausted from his work at the docks" Lilian gave Hannah a reassuring smile.

"I wish I could share your optimism" Hannah's face saddened. "But I have the feeling he is going to break up with me"

"Don't meet trouble half way! He would be an idiot if he let you go" Lilian stood up and walked around the table to hug Hannah from behind. She laid her head on the other woman's shoulder and said, "Let's take your mind off John. You have to help me organize a "Welcome Home" party for Samuel"

* * *

 _Later that day…_

Newkirk and Lilian strolled through the beautiful looking Leadenhall Market in the City of London. Normally they went to Whitechapel Hay Market as some kind of couple time, outside of the Red Lions pub or the other's flat. But now, Newkirk wanted to avoid Whitechapel, since he feared that Michael would be around. As they walked past the small shops with countless British specialties and handmade decorative articles, he clutched Lilian's hand tight and watched out for any kind of unwanted surprise. Although he tried to hide his fears and behave as ordinary as possible, he knew that Lilian had noticed his change in behavior. However, she didn't say anything and acted like nothing has changed, and therefore Newkirk did not approach the topic. Lilian noticed his tight grip and gave him one of her genuine smiles. He loved how every time she smiled, the yellow in her eyes would begin to sparkle bright and he found himself lost in her warm eyes.

She leaned her head against his shoulder while they walked and said, "Samuel comes back to London"

Newkirk looked down at her. " 'at is great! 'opefully 'e can stay longer this time. Last time 'e visited London, we 'ad no real chance to get to know each other better"

"He is not visiting, Peter" Lilian lifted her head up. "He got promoted and will be staying in London permanently"

Newkirk started to rub her hand with his thumb. "I'm 'appy for ya. When will 'e come back?"

"In about two weeks" Lilian stopped in front of a shop with colorful dresses hanging on a rack and added, "I thought about having a party for him. To celebrate his promotion and the fact that he is back in London. What do you think?"

She looked through the rack, hoping to find a lovely dress she could wear at the party. Her closet mostly consisted of old dresses which are starting to bleach out or already had some stitches. But after three years of seeing her brother only sporadically, she wanted to show him how happy she was about his return.

Newkirk leaned against a wall next to her, admiring her wavy long hair that captured the sand-color of her face perfectly. "I think it's a smashin' idea. Where do ya want to celebrate?"

"I thought about asking one of his friends if we can have the party at his house. He inherited it from his mother after she had died, about three years ago. It has a marvelous garden with a cozy patio and striking flower beds in every color you can imagine" Lilian took a red mid-calf length dress with small white stripes from the rack and held it in front of her body, looking at Newkirk questioning. He shook his head and she placed it back on the rack.

"I hope you come," she said, turning her attention back to the clothing rack.

"Ya can count me in," Newkirk announced. "Where does this friend live?"

"David? In Kensington, near Holland Park. He and Samuel are friends as long as I can remember" She glanced at Newkirk and saw him scratching the back of his head. "Is something wrong?"

"Ya do remember what 'appened the last time I was in Kensington, do ya? I ended up at the local police station"

"Just because my divvy parents didn't get their way. You don't have to worry about David or any of Samuel's friends. I know them all and they really don't care where you are from. As long as you are friendly and maybe crack some good jokes, you will be alright"

Lilian pulled another dress from the rack. This time it was a light yellow summer dress that sheathed the top down to the waist with a flattering bottom that ended just below the knees. The top was plain and the bottom had a floral design. Again she looked at Newkirk and waited for his opinion, and this time he nodded.

She headed inside the shop to fit it on. Newkirk followed her and she said, "You could show them some of your magic tricks. Trust me, they will love you"

He waited next to the clothing booth and scooted around the formal shirts. He also hoped to find something he could wear that would not scream "East End". After about five minutes, Lilian stepped out of the booth and looked at herself in the full length mirror.

Then she looked at Newkirk and asked, "How do I look?"

He came closer to her and laid his hands around her shoulders from behind. "Breath-takin', as always" He smiled mischievously and whispered in her ear, "But I'd rather see ya without so much fabric"

Lilian laughed and shook her head. "For that sight, you have to put a ring on my finger"

Her body stiffened as she realized what she said. They had never before talked about their future in a long term, since they were only a couple for about six months and had already enough things going on. She looked in the mirror to check for any kind of rejection at the thought of getting married, but Newkirk only grinned. Behind them in the mirror, Lilian spotted three shirts lying on top of another rack.

"Buy the light blue one"

Newkirk looked up. "Hm?"

"The shirts. You should buy the light blue one, and wear it with your black sweater I like so much. I'm sure you'll look great in it"

"If ya say so. I won't argue with yer taste in fashion; especially since I 'ave none"

She disengaged herself from his embrace and made her way back to the clothing booth.

Before she drew the curtain, she smirked, "I wouldn't say you have none, but I think it wouldn't hurt if we would clear out your wardrobe anytime soon"

* * *

 _Three days later…_

"And who do you want to invite?" asked David, sipping at his tea.

The sun was already burning high this morning. They sat at a table in the middle of the patio, sharing a cup of tea and talking about the past years. Lilian had not really talked to any of Samuel's friends since he left London, since everyone was almost four years older than her and so she had not really anything to discuss with them. Only Percy was one of Samuel's closest friends she also considered a friend, but he was in the Navy and always stationed on England's coast, far away from their hometown.

Lilian observed two birds that were flying through the sky, almost as if they were dancing. Their mostly yellow feathering was gleaming in the sun, and their black head protruded nicely. The singing, with what the male tried to impress the female, lingered in the background as an enjoyable tune.

"I thought about your old clique. You know, the guys you and Samuel always hang around with" Lilian smiled shyly. "And that's the other reason why I'm here today. I hoped you could help me invite everyone"

David raised an eyebrow. "How should I help you?"

"Since Samuel left for the military, and especially since he is in Liverpool, I don't really have any contact with most of his friends. And so I don't know how to reach out to them –"

"And now you hoped I could give you their contact information" He leaned back in his chair. "Plus telling you who of our friends can still come"

"That's right," Lilian said while dipping one of the biscuits in her tea.

At that moment, one of David's servants, Mrs Phillips, approached them through the huge French doors and asked, "Can I bring you more tea, Mr Cox?"

"No, Mrs Phillips, we're fine" David looked at Lilian, then back at his maid "But could you please bring me a notepad and pencil?"

"Of course, Mr Cox"

Mrs Phillips made her way back indoors, and David said to Lilian, "Most of them still live around London; therefore it shouldn't be hard to get in touch with them. Gladys was the only one who left. Her father got a job as a company manager in Hull. I'll write their addresses and telephone numbers down for you"

"That's great, thank you"

Lilian turned her attention back to the birds. They were still dancing through the air, but were now accompanied by other birds. It almost looked like a group performance now. She was so wrapped up in the dance that she didn't notice how Mrs Phillips brought the notepad.

David halted for a moment and looked up from his notepad. "Do you want to invite Grace?"

Lilian stopped listening to the birds and glanced back at David. "I don't know. Truthfully, I haven't thought of her"

"After all, they were a couple before he left" David laid down his pencil.

"Yeah, the operative word is "were". Do you really think it's a good idea to invite her?"

David sighed. "I know they broke up, but you and I know exactly that it wasn't because they have not loved each other anymore"

"I know, David" Lilian closed her eyes. "The day before he broke up, Samuel asked for my advice. He said he didn't want her to wait for him. Primarily because he didn't know when he would be back"

"Have you talked to her lately?"

"No. The last time I saw Grace was the day they separated. You?"

"A couple weeks ago I was at her father's retirement party. I found out she has not seen anyone since Samuel left. I'm sure Grace is still in love with him. You should definitely invite her"

"I don't know –"

"What do we have to lose?" David interrupted. "They are made for each other, and we all thought they would get married someday. And now that Samuel's coming back, maybe we will finally see it happen"

Lilian bit her lower lip.

"Come on, Lilian. You know I'm right"

"Alright," Lilian gave in. "I'll give her a call"

* * *

After she visited David, Lilian returned to Hannah's flat.

"I'm back, Hannah!" Lilian called through the flat after she entered.

Her only answer was a quiet sob that came from Hannah's bedroom. She walked towards the sound and opened the bedroom door. In it, she saw Hannah lying on her bed, crying.

"Hannah, what happened?" She rushed to her friend's side. "Are you hurt?"

Hannah started to mumble, but Lilian did not understand a word.

She sat down beside her and stroked her back. "Shh…calm down. Deep breaths"

Slowly, Hannah was able to control her breathing and sat up.

Immediately, Lilian reached out for her hands. "What happened, Hannah?"

"John…he…he…broke up with me"


	15. Chapter 15

" _ **Family is not an important thing. It's everything" – Michael J. Fox**_

"He did what?" exclaimed Lilian.

"He broke up," Hannah sobbed. "A few hours ago we met, and he told me that we should stop seeing each other. I asked him why and he said in his opinion, this relationship would have no prospects. Apparently, we have different plans for the future"

"What plans?" Lilian asked.

Hannah sighed. "It was about one week ago. I told him that Rose is getting married, and he asked if I would miss her at work. I asked him why I should miss her. He said that now that she is getting married, she would surely quit her job to stay at home. When I told him she would not, and that I think it's not necessary for a woman to quit her job just because he is married, we started fighting. He demanded of me to quit my job if we would ever get married. I told him no, not until we would have children. And so he broke up with me"

Hannah started to cry again and Lilian enfolded her in her arms.

"Don't cry, Hannah," Lilian tried to soothe her. "It is not worth shedding tears over him if he does not accept you"

"But…I thought…he was…the…right one," Hannah sobbed.

"Someday, you will meet the right one. Someone who accepts you for who you are"

Hannah disengaged herself from Lilian's arms and wiped her tears away. "Do you think so?"

"I do," Lilian said. "I mean, you were right with me and Peter. After I broke up with Michael, I thought I would never be happy again. And then you talked me into taking a chance" She started smiling. "And it was the best decision I have ever made"

"You're…you're right. John is not worth it"

Suddenly, Lilian had an idea on how to distract Hannah from her lovesickness. "You know what? We still have some wine left from my birthday. How about we open it up and look through our old photo albums? I'm sure it's going to be hilarious to see us with those odd hairstyles our mothers forced us to have"

Hannah slowly nodded. "I would like that"

Lilian pulled her up from the bed and together they went into the living room to forget about John.

* * *

 _Two weeks later…_

With her yellow dress on, Lilian waited impatiently for the train from Manchester to arrive. Today, her brother would be coming home. In his last letter, Samuel told her that two of his closest friends have been transferred with him, and they would be with him in the train. She was happy to meet them, since Samuel has often written about them in his letters. But mostly she was glad to have her big brother back.

 _Attention! The train from Liverpool Lime Street will be due in one minute on platform five!_

Seconds after the announcement, a huge crowd of people were shoving themselves to the platform. Lilian had a hard time preventing herself from falling and probably getting trampled to death. But still, she was amazed how many people were trying to get into one train. Samuel and his friends could consider themselves lucky that their ride was over, and that they would not have to travel with all of these people.

Again, Lilian looked at the huge clock inside the railway building. Then she heard a loud horn announcing the arrival of the train she waited for. Slowly, the train stopped and the door opened. The people poured off the train and tried to manoeuvre themselves through the crowd that tried to simultaneously get on the train. Lilian raised herself on tiptoes to have a better view over the heads of the crowd; scanning the out-coming people for her brother.

It felt like she stood there for endless minutes, and suddenly, she heard a voice yelling, "Lilian!"

She turned around to see her brother standing a few metres before her, in his Dress uniform, with a duffel bag in one hand and his hat in the other.

"Samuel!" Lilian exclaimed, and ran towards her brother.

She fell into his arms and said, "I'm so glad you're finally home"

"Me too, Sis," Samuel answered. "Me too"

His hand still placed between her shoulder blades, he turned them towards the two men standing behind him, dressed in the same uniform. "Lilian, I'd like you to meet Alexander Gardner and Colin Price"

Lilian reached out her hand towards one of the men. He had curly black hair and crystal blue eyes.

The man smiled and gently kissed the back of her hand. "What a pleasure to meet you. I'm Alexander"

She blushed at his gesture, and Samuel said, "Slow down, Romeo. She is already taken"

"What a pity!"

Samuel's other friend shoved Alexander slightly aside and stretched out his hand. "I'm Colin. Thanks for welcoming us" Then he added, "You have to excuse Alexander. It's been a long time since he had a girl"

Lilian chuckled. "It's fine. At least he was gallant"

Before Colin could answer, Samuel intervened and said, "Anyway, shouldn't we make our way to David's now?"

The men collected their duffel bags and together walked out the railway building. Close to the building was a bus stop that would bring them right to Kensington; and from there it was a brief walk to David's house. On their way to the bus stop, the group chatted about anything and everything.

"It's really nice of David to let us stay with him over the weekend until we have to report to the base," said Samuel.

"He insisted on it. I had told him about your return, because I thought he would like to know you're back in London. After all, he is your best friend. Then he asked if you had to report to the base immediately, and after I told him that you didn't have to be at the base until Monday, he offered his house to you. For old times' sake, he said"

Lilian tried her best to sound convincing. She had not told Samuel about the party, since David and she thought it would be nice to surprise him. Currently, everyone is at David's, making last-minute preparations and waiting for the group to arrive. She was really nervous, but tried to hide it. Not because of his reaction; she knew Samuel will be thrilled to see all his friends. Lilian was nervous because Grace had decided to come, and she didn't know if he would be thrilled to see her again, after their split-up. But deep down she was certain Samuel still loved Grace; and that Grace still loved Samuel. So Lilian hoped now that Samuel's back, they would get back together.

"And he doesn't mind that we are staying there too?" asked Colin.

"Au contraire. David looks forward on meeting you guys"

They reached the bus stop and fortunately, there was still enough space for them. This was not always the case. They settled down and went on talking the whole time.

* * *

They reached Kensington about fifteen minutes later. While they walked through the streets, Alexander and Colin were amazed by the neighbourhood.

"This is where you grew up?" Alexander asked. "When I grew up, we had seven people sharing a two room flat"

"I can't believe you decided to swap this life for a life in the Army," Colin stated.

"Trust me, you would have swapped too if you grew up with my parents"

Even though he knew that there was already a man in Lilian's life, Alexander tried to flirt with her nonetheless. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I don't know, man. So that I walk out on wealth and a secured life, my parents would have to really take the biscuit"

Lilian squirmed free of his grip and backed off of him.

She went to Samuel and he whispered into her ear, "I apologize for him. I have no idea what came over him"

"You don't have to apologize. Fortunately, David lives nearby"

The group turned into a street and instantly stood in front of a large house, with an even larger front yard.

"Here we are," Samuel announced. "The good old Cox mansion. It looks just as I remember it"

Colin followed the others and made big eyes. "That's where we are staying?"

"That's right," Lilian said.

She walked up the entrance and knocked on the door. No three seconds later, Mrs Phillips opened the door.

"Good evening, Ms Wheeler. Mr Cox is already waiting for you in the backyard" When Samuel went passed her, she added, "It's good to see you, Mr Wheeler"

He took off his hat and smiled. "Thank you, Mrs Phillips. It's lovely to see you too"

As the four of them made their way through the house towards the back doors, Colin and Alexander were yet again overwhelmed by the interior.

Samuel saw their amazement and teased, "Shut your mouth, you'll catch a fly"

His friends looked at him, embarrassed, and he chuckled. "I'm just kidding, guys"

Samuel turned to his sister, but saw that she was not with them anymore. "Lilian, where are you?"

"In the backyard," he heard her yelling.

The three friends went into the living room and approached the huge back doors that were covered with thick maroon curtains.

As Samuel opened the door, he heard a crowd cheering, "Welcome Home!"

Before he realized what was happening, he was surrounded by his dearest friends who all gave him a hug and expressed how much they missed him.

"Oh my God, guys!" Samuel exclaimed. "I can't believe you're all here!"

"Of course we are," said Douglas, a tall man with trimmed blonde hair and a circular birthmark right under his right eye.

"We only saw you every once in a while for three years. Without doubt that we come and celebrate your return to London," added Lydia, who was snuggled into Douglas' side.

Lilian came closer to her brother and said, "Samuel, here is someone else who was hooked when he heard you come back while he is in London himself"

She pointed to the right, and Samuel saw a figure emerging from the shadow. "Percy?"

"Hey, buddy," Percy smiled. "Six years, and we're finally united again"

Samuel hurried to him and gave him a hug. "What are you doing here? I thought you were stationed at the Iron Duke?"

"I'm on Blighty [1]. And your dear sister was kind enough to invite me to this little get-together"

Samuel stepped back and realized that Alexander and Colin stood somewhat offside, unsure how to act. "Oh, guys, I almost forgot" He motioned for his Army friends to come closer. "These are Colin and Alexander. Guys, meet Percy, Douglas, Lydia, David, Madge, Josiah, Tom, Audrey, Jacob, Hannah and…" While pointing at his friends, he spotted someone whose presence totally threw him off track. "…and Grace?"

Trying to get a hold of himself, he covered his bewilderedness by asking, "Where's Peter, Lilian? I thought he wanted to come"

"He will, but he had to help his sister with the tailoring. He will arrive in any minute"

To start the party, David approached the three Army men and gave each a glass to drink. "Let's celebrate everyone! To Samuel and his friends!"

* * *

Lilian was dragging Hannah across the patio towards Samuel and his friends. "Come on, Hannah. It's time to meet new people. I won't allow John to make your life miserable"

Hannah stopped and snapped, "It's been only two weeks. You needed six months to get over Michael!"

"Yeah, six wasted months I'll never get back," Lilian retorted. She laid her hands on Hannah's shoulder. "Listen, Hannah. I know it hurt, and I totally understand you don't want to get involved in another relationship right now. But I don't ask you to marry one of the guys; just talk with them. They are really nice" Then she smiled. "Do I have to remind you, what you said to me the day I met Peter? 'Get out there again,' you said"

A slight smile appeared on Hannah's face.

"I knew you were in there," Lilian said.

The two girls went to the group of Army friends and Lilian announced, "Hey guys, this is Hannah, my best friend"

"Hello, I'm Alexander" He reached out his hand, but didn't seem as interested in Hannah as he was in Lilian.

However, this was not the case with Colin. His eyes lit up when he laid them on Hannah, and he gave her a genuine smile. "I'm Colin. Thrilled to meet you"

Apparently, Hannah noticed his fondness, because she started blushing and looked sheepishly down at her feet.

"Can I get you a drink?" he nervously said.

Hannah looked at Lilian for help, and she gave her a reassuring smile. After some time, she answered, "Sure, I would love that"

The two of them went into the house to the bar, and Samuel asked with a tense voice, "Sis, could I talk to you for a minute?"

She nodded and they diverged from the celebrating crowd.

"What on earth made you inviting Grace? Have you forgotten that I broke up with her?"

"Calm down, Samuel," she tried to defend herself. "I have not forgotten that. But I also remember you only broke up because you didn't want her to wait for you" The two siblings watched how Grace was talking with Josiah. Then Lilian turned back to her brother and added, "I know that she is still in love with you; otherwise she wouldn't be here today. And I'm sure you still love her too. Your eyes give you away"

He looked back at Grace, and heard Lilian saying, "Don't make the same mistake twice. You're back in London now. No need to torment you both any longer"

Samuel sighed. "You are probably right. I should talk to her"

* * *

Newkirk looked at his watch as he scampered down the streets. The work at his sister's tailoring took longer than expected, and now it was already half past eight. The party had started at six.

 _What a great way to meet Samuel's friends; being late for more than an hour! That leaves a terrific impression_

He ran the rest of the way and arrived at David's house breathless. At least he hoped it was David's house. Wouldn't it be great if he had taken a wrong turn and ended up at a total stranger's house? He took a few deep breaths and knocked on the door. Short time later, an elderly woman opened the door.

" 'ello, ma'am, me name is Peter Newkirk –"

"You are the company of Ms Wheeler, aren't you?" the woman interrupted.

Surprised that she knew who he was, he answered, " 'at is true. But 'ow do ya know?"

"Ms Wheeler informed me you would be running late" She stepped aside and said, "I will bring you to them"

Newkirk stepped inside and followed the nice woman into the huge living room.

 _Blimey! This room is bigger than me whole flat!_

"They are in the backyard," she informed him.

"Thank ya"

As Newkirk went into the backyard, he thought his eyes would betray him. There was Lilian, standing with Hannah and two other blokes. And one of them had his arm slid around her! Wild with jealousy, he marched towards them, ready to tell the bloke off. Before he reached them, Lilian caught sight of him and disentangled herself from Alexander's grip.

She moved closer to Newkirk and hugged him tightly. Standing on her tiptoes, she whispered into his ear, "Thank God, you're here. Don't get mad, I'll explain everything later"

She took hold of his hand and positioned herself close to his side. "Alexander, Colin, this is Peter. Peter, these are Samuel's friends who were transferred with him to London"

Alexander reached his hand out and greeted, "Hello, nice meeting you"

"Sure," Newkirk answered with dry sarcasm.

The whole time, he eyed Alexander closely, giving him a warning glance.

"Well, let's look for Samuel. I'll meet you guys later," Lilian announced and walked away with Newkirk.

"What the 'ell were ya doin' with this bloke?" Newkirk hissed as soon as they were out of earshot.

"Nothing happened, Peter. He just flirts with me ever since I met him at the railway building"

"Ya call 'at nothin'? This chap was nestlin' 'imself into yer side! Doesn't 'e know I exist?" Newkirk raged.

Seeing Lilian with another guy made his self-doubts coming into the open. He always feared losing her to someone wealthier, or more sophisticated. In the end, he was just some minor bloke from Stepney who earned his living as a magician; not really promising, especially compared to most of the men in Lilian's life.

"He knows about you. Still, he flirts with me" All of a sudden, it dawned on Lilian what was going on. "Wait, are you jealous?"

Somewhat embarrassed, Newkirk scratched his neck.

"Oh, Peter," she said, taking his hands in hers. "I don't care about any other men. I only care about you"

He looked her in the eyes, and she continued, "With you, I feel safe. I can let my barriers fall, without fearing you would laugh at me. You make me laugh, and you make me feel appreciated" She started smiling. "Besides, who else could astound me with his magic tricks?"

With the last remark, Newkirk began to laugh.

"You are the only man I want. Not Michael, not Alexander; only you"

He put his arms on her back, and she laid her hands around his neck. Then, Newkirk pulled her close, and he gave her a deep, passionate kiss that made them totally forget everything around them.

* * *

 **[1] Blighty – home leave in Britain (coll.)**


	16. Chapter 16

" _ **If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid" – Paulo Coelho**_

 _One day later…_

"And what do ya want to do when we're there?" Newkirk asked.

He was walking through Kensington with Samuel next to him. The two men were heading to Michael's house, because Samuel wanted to tear Michael off a strip. He had approached Newkirk at the party, and asked him what exactly had happened between Michael and Lilian. Apparently she only had written in her letters that Michael was following her around, but didn't tell him anything else. So Newkirk filled him in on what happened, and Samuel proposed to go to Michael and make him understand that he should leave Lilian alone. Of course, Newkirk agreed to go with him; he wanted to tell Michael off since he falsely accused him of breaking into Mr and Mrs Wheeler's house, which resulted in Lilian and him almost splitting up.

"I don't know," Samuel answered. "Probably tell him to leave Lilian alone. I mean, this fleeting visit should show him that if he intends to lay hands on her, he knows with whom he messes with"

* * *

"What can I do for –" Michael stopped in his tracks when he saw who was standing in front of him.

"Hey, Michael. Long time no see, huh?" Samuel said with a stern voice.

He tried his best to control himself. He'd love nothing better than to punch his sister's ex-fiancé. But he knew his CO would not approve of it; and his military record even less. Beside him was Newkirk, clutching his fist, also trying his best to not harm the other man.

Michael looked at the two with a frightened expression on his face. He obviously knew that a visit from Samuel and Newkirk meant nothing good. "Hey, guys!" he said cheerful, but restrained. "What are you doing here?"

"Don't be so stupid. Ya know exactly why we're 'ere"

Samuel reached out and grabbed Michael by his collar, which made Newkirk cringe. He had not thought that Samuel would be this aggressive right from the beginning. But he had to admit, he liked the anxious look on Michael's face.

Samuel pulled him closer and hissed, "Leave my sister alone, or else you will get in trouble with the both of us. And this is something you don't want to experience. Do you understand me?"

Michael gulped, but didn't say anything.

Samuel shook the scared man. "Did I make myself clear?"

He nodded and Samuel pushed him away. "Come on, Peter" he said as he turned around. "I think we're done here"

Newkirk looked back at Lilian's ex-fiancé and said in a low voice, "I know the kind of bloke ya are. Ya think ya can treat women like dirt, and ya do 'at. But if ya are confronted by another bloke, ya show yer true nature; ya are nothin' more than a simple coward"

Newkirk turned around and followed Samuel, and together they made their way back to Whitechapel to meet Lilian.

Michael simply stood in the doorway, and tried to process what had happened. Then an evil smirk appeared on his face. They had no idea how wrong they were. He was no coward; only an excellent actor. He succeeded to cosy them along, and to make them belief he was frightened of them.

But they were wrong.

He had already a plan to show Lilian how wrong she was with leaving him.

* * *

 _June 1938_

Lilian tiredly walked up the stairs to Hannah's flat. She was completely exhausted from her day at work; the children were tremendously eager for the summer holidays that would start next month, and so she was barely able to hold sorted classes. The whole day, she had to speak against a restless and loud class, and there were always children she had to exhort to be quiet. That's why Lilian dragged herself up the stairs, working hard to keep her eyes open. Though her working day was over now, she wasn't able to look forward to a relaxed evening with a warm cuppa and a good book. Peter would be coming over to pick her up for a night at the movies. Lilian always loved spending time with him, but right now, she honestly considered cancelling their date. However, she also knew how much he looked forward to their time together, and that he has taken more shows at the Palladium lately, in order to earn more money to "treat her properly". She always told him this was not necessary, but he insisted on it, and so she had not the heart to be ungrateful towards him.

Lilian reached Hannah's door and wanted to open it, when she noticed the door being slightly ajar. This surprised her, because normally Hannah always double-checked if she closed the door; one of her many quirks. But she didn't think too much of it, since it could be possible that Hannah just forgot it this time.

Lilian pushed the door open, and called, "Hey, Hannah, I'm home. You know, you left the door open"

She did not receive an answer.

"Hannah?" she called out again.

But then light dawned on her. Hannah had told her earlier, she would be meeting Colin for a cuppa. Ever since Samuel's "Welcome Home" party, she obviously took a liking to the Army soldier and they started seeing each other; of course only as friends. But Lilian noticed her friend smiling every time she talked about Colin, and she knew Hannah liked him more than only in a friendly way, but for now, she would not acknowledge her feelings.

This only added to her puzzlement, because this raised the question why the door was opened. Lilian walked through the flat, having the odd feeling that she was not alone. She went into the kitchen, and she thought she would instantly have a heart attack. At the table sat Michael, with a knife in his hand!

"Hello, Lilian" He slowly stood up. "I'm glad to finally be alone with you; without this Peter guy"

Lilian gradually backed away, her eyes never leaving the knife in his hand. "Michael, what are you doing here? And how did you enter this flat?"

She started trembling, with her heart beating in her ears.

 _Oh, Lord! What should I do? I'm all alone with him; and Peter won't pick me up until 6pm. That's in two hours! He already tried to hurt me, but now he has a knife. And this crazy look in his eyes! He's unpredictable_

Lilian looked around, hoping to maybe find something she could defend herself with, but there was nothing. Her only chance was to leave the flat as fast as possible, and ran to Mr Bennett for help.

"Ah, that was easy," answered Michael, while playing with the knife in his hand. "Your friend is not the only one who knows how to use a picklock"

His frightening obsession with the knife confirmed Lilian in her intention to leave the flat as quickly as possible.

"But why are you here?" she asked to distract him.

"To talk to you. And to show you it was a mistake to leave me"

Michael came closer to her, and in an attempt to flee, Lilian rushed to the entrance door. But he must have sussed her plan, because he ran after her and caught Lilian in time to snatch her away from the door. He clutched his arms around her from behind, which resulted in Lilian screaming.

Michael covered her mouth with his hand, still having one arm tightly around her. "Well, well, well. It's not polite to walk out on someone without saying goodbye"

He moved them back to the kitchen, not letting go of her. He didn't notice that the door was not completely closed.

Lilian froze in fear. His grip around her body was hurting her; moreover, she felt his warm breath in the crook of her neck. Then, she felt Michael's lips fluttering kisses on her neck, and he worked himself up to her jaw, ending at her ear. While he did that, Lilian closed her eyes and was barely able to breathe. She just hoped it would end soon; or that as by a miracle, someone would come to Hannah's flat, and with that, helping her to get away from this angst-inducing situation.

They entered the kitchen, and he whispered into his ear, "I will let go of you know. But one hasty move and I'm forced to use violence. And I hate seeing you hurt. Alright, sweetheart?"

He removed his hand from her mouth, and Lilian said with a bleating voice, "We can… talk…about anything, Michael. Anything you want"

She tried to appease the situation. If she engaged him in a conversation, she might be able to stall him until Newkirk would arrive.

He pointed at the stool. "Sit down"

Lilian did as told. "So, Michael, you said you wanted to talk. About what?"

"About bits and pieces" He sat down across from her, the knife always at hand. "But why don't we start with why you left me; even though we were engaged?"

* * *

Newkirk closed the door to his flat and made his way down the stairs. Though he was supposed to pick up Lilian in only two hours, he couldn't wait anymore. He had helped his sister and his brother-in-law with the tailoring again, but she sent him home earlier than thought because of his date with Lilian, and now he found himself sitting at his kitchen table, waiting for the time to pass. And instead of waiting alone in his flat, he thought he could just as well spend two additional hours with Lilian before they would go to the movies. He was completely lost in thought when he left the building, and therefore didn't notice how he was about to run into his neighbour from across the hall, Mrs. Harding, who was carrying two big grocery bags.

Right before the crash, he was brought back to reality by her yelling, "Watch out!"

He stopped inches in front of her. "I'm sorry, Mrs 'ardin'," he said. "I didn't see ya"

"I thought so much, Peter" She put down the bags. Then she smiled, "Thinking about yer girl again?"

Newkirk smirked. "Ya know me well, Mrs 'ardin'. Right now, I'm on me way to 'er" He looked down and saw the bags. "Do ya need any 'elp with the grocery bags?"

" 'at would be very kind of ya" He bend down and picked the bags up. "Even the smallest things are getting harder each day with me old bones"

Newkirk followed Mrs Harding back into the building. "Yer welcome! And don't 'esitate to ask if ya need 'elp"

He carried the bags into his neighbours flat, and then he headed calmly towards Whitechapel, not knowing in what dangerous situation Lilian was.

* * *

"You know exactly why. You cheated on me. That's not really how a future husband should act, don't you think?"

Michael smashed his hand on the table, making her cringe. "It was one time; no reason to break an engagement"

Lilian didn't know what to do. On the one hand, she knew he was capricious at the moment and she should try to not enrage him furthermore, but on the other hand, she had a feeling that if they talk about the end of their relationship, he would maybe understand that there was no future for them and this whole situation would end peacefully.

She took a deep breath and asked, "You really want to talk about it?"

"Yes," he answered. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here, would I?"

"Then we should be honest, don't you think?" Lilian looked at the knife in Michael's hand, fearing the worst. "I know you cheated on me more than once" He wanted to say something, but she added, "And please don't deny it. I noticed lipstick stains on your collar, and you sometimes smelled like women perfume"

Michael didn't react at first. He only lowered his head. "You…I…," he sighed. "You're right. I slept with her more than once. But it was all your father's fault!"

"Wait, what? What has my father to do with you cheating on me?"

Lilian was startled. She knew her father was capable of more than she thought; his role in getting Newkirk arrested proved his unpredictability. But she could not think of how he should be connected to Michael's infidelity.

Michael drove his fingers through his shiny blonde hair. "He was the one who assigned her to me. And he was the one who suggested it"

"He suggested that you cheat on me?" she asked in a loud voice. "You must be lying!"

"You have to believe me; I'm telling the truth," Michael pleaded. "One day, he came into my office and told me I had a new secretary. I said that I didn't need a secretary to do my paperwork, and then he answered, that I could use her otherwise. I had no idea what he meant! And then he told me that he cheated on your mother for years with the young girls in our office"

Lilian listened to her ex-fiancé in disbelief. Her father proposed to Michael to cheat on her; his own daughter! How cold-hearted could one be?

"I'm sorry to tell you about his infidelity. I'm sure that's something you didn't want to hear about your father," he said softly.

She was surprised about his tone. There was no anger in it, and it seemed like another person was sitting in front of her. But she also knew that Michael's mood could change within seconds. That's why she never stopped to watch him, and the knife, closely.

"It's nothing new to me" Lilian brushed her hair out of her face and behind her ears. "We all know about his unfaithfulness for years. At first, I tried to talk my mother into a divorce, but she was okay with it. Simply said that this was how things were in a marriage. And with that my family dropped the subject"

* * *

Newkirk jogged up the stairs to Hannah's flat, raring to spend the evening with his girlfriend. He went to the door and was about to knock on it, when he noticed the door being ajar. Immediate concern rushed through his body, fearing the worst. He was born and raised in the East End. He knew what an open door meant. Newkirk sneaked into the flat, and suddenly, he heard Lilian's voice coming from the kitchen. She was talking to someone. He almost wanted to sigh in relief, because he thought that she maybe just had not closed the door properly. But then he heard another voice.

A male voice.

Michael!

Newkirk rushed as silently as possible in the direction the voices were coming from. He peaked around the corner and saw the two of them sitting at the table. But then he saw the knife in Michael's hand, and his heart sank into his boots. He had to do something. He had to protect Lilian from this crazy psychopath! He turned around and leaned with his back against the wall. For a short second, he thought about running into the kitchen and beat the crap out of him. But then he recalled the promise he made to don't do anything that would land him in prison. And he wouldn't disappoint Lilian a second time. Newkirk closed his eyes and thought about something else he could do, all the while he listened to Lilian and Michael talking in the other room. He thought about calling the Bobbies, even though they never did anything to help him. Growing up, he had to always rely on himself. But he hoped that this time, maybe only this once, the police would actually help him. So he peaked into the kitchen again, making sure Lilian was alright at the moment. And then he left the flat, hurrying to the nearest phone box, praying that he made the right choice and that nothing would happen to Lilian.


	17. Chapter 17

" _ **There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go" – Unknown**_

Newkirk rushed through the streets in search of a phone booth. He didn't care that the people he passed looked at him as if they thought he was crazy. He only cared for Lilian, the woman he loved with all his heart, who was in danger. If something would happen to her, he would never be happy again, and he would spend the rest of his life blaming himself for her death. The whole time since Michael had harassed Lilian, Newkirk had the feeling that Michael was up to something, and that his withdrawal was only the quiet before the storm. Why hadn't he trusted his gut? Why hadn't he protected Lilian enough? Everything was his fault.

After what seemed like an eternity, he spotted one of the typical red phone booths at the end of the street he just turned in. Newkirk ran down the street, but when he came closer to the booth, he saw it was already occupied by an older lady. Additionally, there were two other people waiting for the woman to end her conversation. He was about to ask them if they let him go first, when two Bobbies caught his attention. They were cosily walking down the street, engaged in a conversation.

Newkirk sent up a quick prayer and approached the usually dreaded but now wished for policemen. "Constables!" he yelled while he hurried to them. "Ya need to 'elp me; he is threatening her!"

He knew that where he was from, something like that would have probably been solved without the police. Normally, he would have a fight with the other person until someone gives up or is knocked out cold. But he had promised Lilian to don't do anything stupid that would land him in prison. And if he, as an unimportant bloke from Stepney, beat up a lawyer from Kensington, he would definitely break his promise. That was something he would never do; never again would he betray her trust. The other reason why Newkirk wanted the police to come was that he hoped Scotland Yard would finally nick Michael if their own policemen witnessed his actions.

The policemen stopped walking, and one of them asked, "Who is threatening whom, sir?"

"Michael, the ex-fiancé of me girl, is threatenin' 'er with a knife; in 'er flat. Ya 'ave to come and stop 'im, please!"

The two constables looked at each other. "Lead us the way, sir"

* * *

"But just because he said you should cheat on me, doesn't mean you had to do it"

Lilian watched Michael closely, trying her best to make him believe she was not afraid. To be true, fear was the only thing she felt at that moment. Not even in her wildest dreams she had ever thought that Michael would ever physical threaten her. She knew he was able to hurt her emotionally; she suffered from his cruelty while they were a couple. But she always thought he would never go this far.

"You have no idea!" Michael raised his voice. "Your father pressurised me. He said that if I wanted to be his son-in-law, and if I wanted to take over the office one day, I should accept how things work in the upper class"

Lilian shook her head. "This sounds exactly like you. Only thinking about your position in society, and never about the people who care for you"

"It's easy for you to talk," Michael snorted. "You're a woman. Society does not expect you to care for your family"

Lilian was startled. Is he actually the opinion that society pushed him into infidelity?

"As if being a woman is so much easier," she said matter-of-factly. "You can study and become whatever you want to, without having to explain yourself. If you want to have a career, the people praise you. Do you know what my family says, because I decided to work?" Lilian looked him deep in the eyes. "They accused me of ruining our family reputation! My father said it is a disgrace that I, as his daughter, as a woman, work" Then she added, "If you want to complain about gender struggle, don't come to me. I have enough problems on my own"

Michael stood up and drove with his hand through his hair. He walked to the counter, and leaned against it. "What kind of problems can you have? "Does my hair look fine? What do I cook for dinner?" That's really some problems. I had to earn money! And I had to make sure that I'm always at the top, so that I could buy you all the stuff you wanted"

"Do you actually hear what you're saying?" Lilian asked in disbelief. "I never gave you any reason to think I would leave you if you didn't make enough money. I only want to be treated with respect, but you were always busy doing me down" She stood up, but placed her hands onto the table to steady herself. "But Peter doesn't. Yes, he does not earn much money, but that's not important. Other than you, he knows how to be a gentleman. He makes me feel special, and loved. And he would never deliberately hurt me"

"Oh, Lilian, you are so naïve," he laughed. "Do you have even the slightest idea how your life will be if you stay with him? Maybe your relationship lasts as long as that the two of you get married. Then you can call yourself the wife of what? A magician? Maybe you will have children, but how does he want to support his family? He'll be frustrated, you will be angry, and then he cheats on you, and you're in the same position as now. Only that you'll have nothing left of your life before" Michael sat back at the table, taking Lilian's hand in his. "But if you stay with me, you can be the wife of a respectable well-known lawyer. We will live in a marvellous house, here in Kensington. I will also buy us a small house in the country, outside of London, where we'll spend our weekends and holidays, sitting on the patio, with our children playing in the yard" Michael brought Lilian's hand up to his mouth and kissed it gently. "We will have an amazing life, Lilian. Together"

Lilian pulled her hand away. "No, we won't, Michael" Now she was the one who placed her hand on top of his. "We would not have this dream marriage. We would have the marriage my parents have; a miserable marriage that only survives because of social conventions. You will be more interested in your work, so that you don't have to spend time at home. And I will be at home, raising our children and wishing I could turn back time to stop this marriage"

She put her right hand on his cheek, softly stroking his skin. He closed his eyes at her touch, holding on to her left hand. Deep down inside him, he knew she was right. He knew they would never be happy with each other, but he couldn't let go of this perfect life he envisioned for him and Lilian since the day her father had introduced them.

"But that is not how it's supposed to be" Michael opened his eyes again, and looked into her unique yellow green eyes. "We should be happily married by now. Don't you remember the beginning of our relationship?"

"Yeah, Michael, I do. However, I also remember the end of our relationship. We were constantly fighting with each other, and I felt like I was suffocating. Be honest with me; were you really happy with how things were?"

He, again, jumped off and paced around the kitchen. "No, I was not. But I know we can be happy again. We'll just forget what happened, and start all over again. And then everything will be great"

It hurt her heart to see how Michael was lying to himself, and to his heart. Of course she had hoped they would have this perfect storybook marriage, but by now, Lilian realized that their relationship was doomed to failure; mainly because of her father. Michael tried to impress him and do everything her father wants him to do, and she was the exact opposite. She didn't care what her father thought of her. She had also realized there was only one man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. A man she hoped would soon arrive and rescue her.

Lilian stood up from the table and slowly walked over to Michael. She was just about to say something, when they heard a voice coming from the doorway.

"Everything all right, Miss?" asked one the constables.

Lilian turned her head, and suddenly, Michael grabbed her from behind and pressed her close against his body. In one swift motion, he took the knife from the table and held it against her throat. "Go away!" he yelled.

Lilian grabbed his arm that he had placed across her chest, with which he pressed her against him. She struggled to free herself, but she was too weak to accomplish her task. His grip was just too tight.

One of the policemen raised his arms. "Calm down, Mister Abbott. There is no reason to harm this young lady. We only want to talk"

"I said, go away!" Michael moved him and Lilian backwards, until his back reached the wall. "You won't take her away from me!"

Newkirk had to watch how Michael held the knife dangerously close to Lilian's aorta. A feeling of helplessness was rising inside him, since the two constables blocked the doorway to the kitchen, because of which he was restricted to stand back and pray. He was not a very religious man; he and his family only went to church for Christmas and Easter. But right now, praying was the only thing he could do, and it helped him to don't feel as helpless as he was in this situation.

The policemen who spoke in the beginning began to slowly walk into the kitchen, his arms still raised. "No one wants to take this lady away from you," he tried to soothe the nervous young man in front of him. "We just want to make sure that everyone is unscathed. And we would appreciate if you could put the knife down, so that we can discuss everything in a civilized manner"

With every step that the constable came closer, Michael grew more twitchy. He started trembling as he pressed his body closer to the wall. He removed the knife from Lilian's throat, and pointed it at the approximating policeman. "Stop! Don't come one step closer…" he held the knife against her throat again, "…or this doesn't end well!"

He was distracted by the police, and didn't notice that he pressed the knife a little too hard against Lilian's throat, which resulted in him cutting her skin superficial. She started to bleed slightly, but Lilian didn't notice it, because her body was adrenalin-fuelled. She suddenly was not afraid of him anymore. She understood what was going on in his mind, and decided to take a chance on talking him down. "Michael, listen to me!" she said.

Upon receiving no answer, she tried again, "Michael, please, listen to me"

The policemen looked at Michael, who answered, "I'm listening"

"Remember what we talked about earlier? About the splendid future you pictured for us?"

"Yeah, and I won't allow anyone to take that away from us," Michael said, frowning at the three men in front of him.

Since one of the policemen walked inside the kitchen, Newkirk was able to position himself inside the doorway, next to the second constable. He had now a clear view on Lilian, and they looked each other deep in the eyes. It was almost as if they talked without words; there was this familiar twinkle in her eyes, which always appears when she says she loves him, and he gave her a reassuring glance, telling her everything will be alright.

Lilian placed one hand on Michael's shoulder. "I know that, Michael. But you have to realize that this great future was never planned for us; it was taken from us long before it could have started. Taken away from my father, and ruined by your actions" She felt his body stiffening, and she quickly added, "But you can still have this future; only with another girl. I'm sure somewhere out there is a girl who loves you with all her heart, and whom you love from the bottom of your heart too. You can be with her, without any pressure from her family, because they will accept you for who you are. And then you will marry her, and buy this country home for your kids to play in the yard" Lilian felt how Michael started to ease the grip on her. "You will be happy; without me"

A few moments of silence passed; everyone waited for his reaction. Michael dropped his head, and finally laid the knife down on the table. Then he released Lilian from his grip, stepping away from her.

The constables rushed forward and put his arms behind his back. "Michael Abbott, you are hereby arrested for threatening Lilian Wheeler with violence. You will be brought to the local police station, where the next steps will be decided. Everything you say, can and will be used against you"

Immediately after Michael had released Lilian, Newkirk ran forward and embraced his girlfriend tightly, holding her close to him. "It's over Lil. 'e will never 'urt ya again; I promise"

Her adrenalin rush started to level off, and now she realized what exactly had happened. While being in Newkirk's arms, her knees began to buckle and she collapsed, crying.

Newkirk patted her back, whispering soothing words into her ear. "Everythin' will be fine. I'm 'ere; nothin' will 'appen to ya, trust me"

It broke his heart to see Lilian in so much emotional pain. Right now, he'd loved nothing better than to go over to Michael and beat the living daylights out of him; as some kind of redemption for what he did to Lilian. But Newkirk knew he had to gulp down his personal feelings, because he had to be there for Lilian. She needed him, and his strong arms.

Without any resistance from him, Michael was led out of the flat. Before the two constables left the kitchen with him, one of the policemen stopped next to Newkirk and said, "We need your statement, and Miss Wheeler's, for the charge, but I think it's best if you two come tomorrow. He will be held in custody at least until tomorrow, so it makes no difference if you come today or tomorrow" He glanced at the sobbing form in Newkirk's arms. "Make sure she's not alone tonight"

"Thanks, Constable," answered Newkirk.

They were still standing in the kitchen long after the police left. Lilian clung to Newkirk's broad shoulders, and her tears drenched his shirt. The whole time, he stroked her back and kissed her head gently.

At last, the sobbing broke down and he heard Lilian pleading in a hoarse voice, "Can we please go away from here? I don't feel save anymore"

"Of course, Lil," Newkirk answered.

Still in his embrace, she whispered, "Don't leave me alone, Peter"

"I will never leave ya alone, luv," Newkirk said. "Never"


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: I just realized what a HUGE monster of story this is going to be. I thought I could divide the storyline in two stories, but decided against it, because I figured that those who are interested in the story would read it even with many chapters. I only wanted to inform and warn you :)**

* * *

" _ **You're the one reason I wake up in the morning, you're the one reason I find a way to smile, you're the one person that can change everything around when it is going bad. Your eyes, your smile, your everything, your laugh, your look in your eyes when you talk to me. It's just everything about you that makes me want you even more" – Unknown**_

Newkirk stepped back from Lilian to look her over, and noticed blood running down her neck. "Lil, there's blood on yer neck!" He wiped some of it away with his thumb, to get a clearer vision. " 'ave ya not noticed?"

Lilian looked at his thumb, and then touched her neck. "No, probably because of the adrenaline rush. But it doesn't hurt, so it can't be too serious"

He wrapped her in his arms again, holding her head close to his heart. "I'm so glad nothin' 'appened. I don't know what I would do without ya"

"The whole time, you were the only thing on my mind, Peter" Lilian whispered. "I desperately hoped you would maybe come earlier, and rescue me. And you didn't let me down"

She moved her head off his chest, looking him deep in the eyes. "Can we please go now? I don't want to stay here any longer"

"Sure," Newkirk answered. "We can go to me flat"

Lilian only nodded, and with a hand on her back, Newkirk led her out of Hannah's flat. Before they left the building, he asked a neighbour to tell Hannah she should come to his flat as fast as possible. He needed to talk to her. The neighbour helpfully agreed, having noticed the row with the police and Michael's arrest.

On their way to Newkirk's flat, neither said a word. Both were wrapped up in their own thoughts and fears, and they didn't know what to say to each other. But subconsciously, their actions showed what was on their minds. Lilian snuggled into Newkirk's side, clutching his waist for support, since she thought she would collapse into million pieces without his strong arms holding her. And Newkirk didn't let go of her, pulling her even closer to his body, because he somehow feared he would lose her if he let go of her.

After what felt like an eternity, they reached his small flat in the southeast of Stepney. It only consisted of a bedroom and a kitchen with a table in it, but for him it was enough. Most of his time he spent at the pub anyway, so he didn't care much about the size of his flat. As long as he had a roof over his head that he could afford, he was happy. Newkirk unlocked the door and moved them inside, sitting her down at the table. Then he went to the stove and put the tea kettle on it to make them a cuppa.

He took a wet cloth from the sink, and knelt in front of Lilian. "Let me take a closer look at yer neck. We don't want to overlook anythin' important, don't we?"

Newkirk smiled at Lilian as he softly brushed her hair away to have a clear view at her neck. Tenderly, he wiped away the already dried brown-red blood, revealing a superficial cut.

"Ya were right, luv," he said and laid a hand on her knee. "It's nothin' serious; only superficial"

Lilian only nodded. She had not said a single word since they left Hannah's flat. Newkirk went to the stove when the kettle whistled, and poured the hot water into two cups. While he put two tea bags into the cups, he quietly watched Lilian, who sat at the table and simply stared into space. She did not move, and it seemed like she was a million miles away. Newkirk sighed. His heart was aching for his usual cheerful, always smiling girlfriend, who was now only a shadow of her former self. He hoped it was merely the shock of Michael's actions, and nothing permanent, so that she would soon recover.

" 'ere," Newkirk said as he placed a cup in front of Lilian. "Me mother always says, 'Nothin' is as worse as 'at a cuppa wouldn't 'elp'"

Again, she only nodded, moving the cup to her lips and taking a sip. Lilian then placed the cup back on the table, but her hands remained around the cup, holding on to it as if it was a lifebelt. He sat down next to her and drank from his cup, watching her worried.

Newkirk scooted closer to her, and gently stroked her arm. " 'ow about ya lay down for a couple of 'ours, and try to get some rest. I'm sure ya'll feel much better afterwards"

When he received no answer, neither verbal nor physical, Newkirk took her chin in his hand and softly moved it up. Now she looked him directly in the eyes. "Ya're safe now, Lil. 'e won't 'urt ya anymore. I will be 'ere and protect ya, don't worry"

"Alright," she whispered.

Her voice was barely perceptible, but it was enough to make Newkirk smile. He stood up and pulled Lilian into his arms. She clutched his shoulders tightly, needing his support. Therefore, he lifted her up and carefully carried her into his bedroom. Lilian nestled her head against his chest, right over his beating heart. This prompted him to kiss her head softly. Newkirk gingerly laid her down on his bed, pulling the blanket over her small, fragile-looking body. He sat down on the edge of the bed, and began to stroke her cheek with his thumb.

"Try to sleep; yer body needs the rest. In the meantime, I'll try to cook some soup we can eat when ya wake up. And the operative word is "try"," he joked, which resulted in a small chuckle from Lilian. "So don't get yer 'opes too 'igh"

Newkirk bend forward and kissed her forehead. Then he left the room, taking one last look at the small form in his bed, before he closed the door.

* * *

About half an hour later, someone frantically knocked on his door. Newkirk threw the kitchen towel, which he had used to clean up his kitchen after the soup had over boiled, over his right shoulder, and went to the door. He opened it and was greeted by a worried-looking Hannah.

"What happened? Where is she?" she asked, her voice full of fear.

"She's in me bedroom, sleepin'," he answered. "Come in"

Newkirk closed the door behind Hannah, and together they went into his kitchen. He motioned for her to sit down and offered her a cup of tea.

"I'm sorry for the mess," he said, pointing to the filthy stove. "I'm not the best cook"

She accepted the cup he handed her and said, "Nothing to worry about. But what happened? The only thing my neighbour said was that you wanted to speak to me. And that someone was arrested?" The last remark was more a question than a statement.

"Yes, 'at's right" He sat down at the table. "Ya know about the date I 'ad planned for tonight, do ya?"

Hannah nodded. "Yeah, I do"

"Well, I swung by 'er place earlier than thought, and was greeted by Michael threatenin' 'er with a knife"

"He did what?!" exclaimed Hannah in disbelief.

"Ya 'eard right," Newkirk said. "I rushed to find some Bobbies, and when we returned to yer flat, they approached 'im and 'e bloody lost it. 'e took the knife and pressed it against Lilian's throat. Luckily, she was able to talk 'im down without any major incident" He took a sip from his cup. "She only 'as a superficial cut at her neck. We're supposed to go to the police tomorrow, to give our statements"

"I can't believe what I'm hearing" Hannah looked down at the cup in her hands. "And how is she?"

Newkirk sighed. "Frightened. She 'as not really said anythin' since we left yer flat. I told 'er to lie down and rest. Maybe it 'elps"

She shook her head. "But how did he know where Lilian was? And how did he enter my flat?"

" 'e probably followed 'er again. And it's not 'ard to get into a flat; all ya 'ave to know is 'ow to use a picklock. Trust me; I know what I'm talkin' about" He away to avoid her questioning glance.

Hannah turned her head and gazed into the direction of Newkirk's bedroom.

"I think it's best if she stays overnight," he said. "I don't want to leave 'er alone. And I'm certain she doesn't want to be alone either"

She turned around to face him again. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Ya could try to reach Samuel. 'e likely wants to know about what 'appened" Newkirk looked sheepishly to the floor. "And maybe ya could 'elp me to prepare somethin' to eat for Lilian. I am really lousy in the kitchen"

Hannah smiled. "Yeah, I can see it. And by what Lilian told me, it's a miracle that you're not starved to death by now"

* * *

After about 40 more minutes, Hannah and Newkirk had successfully cooked some tomato soup. They used the shared time in the kitchen as an opportunity to get to know each other better. It was not that they knew nothing about each other; after all, Newkirk and Lilian were a couple for about seven months now. But they had not spent time together all too often, and mostly in the Red Lion's pub with the five of them together; Lilian, Jacob, Luke, and the two of them.

When they finished cooking, Newkirk offered Hannah to stay and eat with them, but Hannah politely declined, because she had to do some errands. Now Newkirk sat at the table and ate some of the soup, the rest being still in the pot on the stove to keep it warm. He didn't want to wake up Lilian and disturb her much-needed rest. While he ate, Newkirk read this day's edition of _The Times_ in an effort to distract himself from his concern for Lilian. He was completely absorbed in the paper in his hands that he didn't notice Lilian standing in the doorway.

"Whatcha reading?"

Newkirk whirled his head around, and saw her leaning against the doorframe.

"Lil!" he exclaimed. " 'ow are ya feelin'?"

She slowly walked over to him. "Better, much better"

Newkirk pulled her onto his lap, and put an arm around her back, holding Lilian close. She leaned her head against his steady shoulder, and closed her eyes, while she felt him caressing her cheek. They sat like this for several minutes, neither feeling the need to break the atmosphere. Both simply enjoyed being in each others arms.

After a while, Lilian said, "Thank you"

"For what?" asked a confused Newkirk.

"For being here" She removed her head from his shoulder, and looked him in the eyes. Lilian placed a hand on his cheek, and gently stroked it. "Thank you for being my tower of strength. For supporting and comforting me. And thank you for simply being there for me in my hour of need"

Newkirk took her hand away from his cheek, and moved to his mouth. He kissed her fingers, his eyes still locked with hers. "Ya don't 'ave to thank me. I will always be there for ya. When ya 'ave the feelin' 'at everyone around ya is goin' around the bend, just turn around and I'll be right there; yer rock ya can hold onto"

Lilian had a hard time holding her tears back. His sweet words hit right into her heart, and she felt herself melting away in his greyish-green eyes. At last she moved forward, and placed her soft lips on his, wrapping one arm around his neck, and buried her other hand in his black hair. Newkirk drew her closer, and slowly opened his mouth a little. The tip of his tongue brushed her lips, asking her to open hers too, so he could taste her. Lilian obeyed, and their tongues danced around her mouth. They completely lost their sense of time, but finally they broke apart to catch some air. Lilian smiled at Newkirk, and then laid her head back on his shoulder.

* * *

 _The next morning…_

After they gave their statements to the police, Lilian and Newkirk visited Hannah to get Lilian's clothes, and then headed to her flat. Though she seemed to feel much better, he now felt her clutching his hand again. Recalling yesterday's events for her statement probably stirred up her feelings, so Newkirk slid his arm around her waist.

"What do ya think about goin' to the movies tonight?" he asked. "We could 'ave our date tonight, and 'opefully distract ya a bit"

Lilian smiled. "When I'm with you," she said seductively, "I'm always distracted"

Newkirk grinned like a naughty boy. "Well, then I'm doin' somethin' right"

They kissed and walked the rest of the way in silence; however, it was a much happier silence then yesterday evening. It was comfortable, rather than crushing. When they entered Lilian's flat, she picked up the mail from the ground, and walked into the living room.

Newkirk settled himself next to her, and while she read through the mail, he said, "I can call me sister and tell 'er about what 'appened. I'm sure she doesn't need me 'at urgent"

"You don't have to, Peter," Lilian looked up from the letter in her hand. "You promised to help her, and I don't want you to break your promise" She put her hand on his thigh. "Besides, I will spend the whole evening washing my clothes. And as much as I love your company, this is something I much rather do alone"

"Alright," Newkirk sighed. "But after I'm finished, I'll come straight to yer flat and we'll do what we wanted to do yesterday"

Lilian smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

She was about to lay down the letter in her hands, when a voice called through the door. "Lilian, are you home? It's me, Michael!"

Lilian froze, and looked at Newkirk with a slightly anxious look on her face. Although she had the feeling that their talk yesterday helped him realise they could not pursue their relationship any further, she still had the picture of him, holding a knife against her throat, in her mind.

Newkirk jumped off the couch, and said, "Don't worry, luv. I won't allow 'im to 'urt ya ever again"

He stormed to the door, with Lilian close behind him, when they heard Michael calling again. "Believe me, I'm not here to harm you! I only want to apologize"

Newkirk snorted. "As if I'll believe ya"

Something inside Lilian told her that Michael was telling the truth, and therefore she held Newkirk's arm, trying to stop him. "I do"

He stopped. "What? Are ya crackers? 'ave ya already forgotten what 'e did to ya?"

"No, but I saw the look in his eyes when I told him he would be happy with another girl. I have the feeling he understood that our relationship is over" She laid her hands on his shoulder. "Just promise me you hear him out"

Newkirk bit his lip. "But only if ya'll stay behind me"

Lilian nodded, and Newkirk went over to the door. He opened it, positioning himself next to the doorframe, so that Lilian was able to see Michael, but he was able to step in if Michal tried to harm her.

"What do ya want 'ere?" Newkirk asked in an angry tone.

Michael stepped back, his tone frightening him. "I…," he looked to the ground. "I wanted to apologize" He then looked back at Lilian. "I don't know what came over me; how I was able to hurt you. I…you…," Michael sighed. "I think I just couldn't handle our separation; and that you found someone who makes you happy"

" 'ow come they let ya go?" barged Newkirk in.

Michael looked him directly in the eyes, and saw burning hatred for him. "Mr Wheeler got me out" Before Newkirk could say anything, Michael added, "But don't worry, I will leave London. You are rid of me"

"You'll leave London?" asked Lilian, who had only stared at him until now. "But where are you going? I thought your plan was to take over the family business?"

"It was, but your father thinks it's not good for his reputation if word gets around that I threatened his daughter. Therefore, he arranged for me to move to Leeds, where I will take over the business of a good friend of his," Michael explained.

"You mean Donald Storey's office?"

"Yes, I will leave tomorrow morning. I just wanted to tell you how truly sorry I am for my behaviour, and for how things ended between us. And I hope one day, you can forgive me for all the horrible things I've done to you" Michael glanced at Newkirk, then back at Lilian. "And I wanted to wish the best for your future together. I hope you'll be happy, I really do" He turned around and before he left, he said, "Goodbye, Lilian"

* * *

 _The next day…_

"Excuse me," said Lilian to the woman sitting at the information desk. "When does the next train leave for Leeds?"

The woman looked through her papers, and answered, "In ten minutes; from platform two"

Lilian thanked the lady and walked into the direction of platform two. After Michael's visit, she had the need to see and talk to him for one last time, without Newkirk nearby. She loved him, and was grateful for his support, but she had to sort out things between her and Michael. Newkirk was currently at his sister's tailoring, which gave Lilian enough time to speak with her ex-fiancé. She didn't tell Newkirk about her plan to say goodbye to Michael, because he would only tell her how crazy this idea was, and when he would not succeed in talking her out of her plan, he would insist on going with her. And in a way, he was right that it was crazy for her to talk to Michael. After all, he had threatened her with a knife only two days ago. The cut from his knife was still visible on her neck. But there was something deep down inside her, telling her she would regret it if she didn't talk to him. They were a couple for almost two years, at last. This is something you can't throw away very easily.

Lilian reached platform two, and looked out for Michael. There was a large number of people on the platform, which made it a bit difficult to find him, but in the end, she spotted his shiny blonde hair. She moved through the crowd, and eventually, tapped him on the shoulder.

He turned around and was stunned to see her. "Lilian?" he asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you; and say goodbye" She looked around. "Apparently I'm the only one who wants to see you off"

Michael's face saddened. "I have not made me many friends with my last action"

"But that's not fair. Just because you made a mistake doesn't mean you should be treated like an outcast"

"Hey, I have no right to complain. I could be way worse off" He looked at her. "You said you wanted to talk?"

"That's right," Lilian said. She took a deep breath and continued, "I forgive you. Of course, I still think it's wrong and cruel how you treated me, but in the end, we were all victims of something bigger. It's not right to put all the blame on you"

Michael was shocked that she was actually able to forgive him. He had hoped she could, but he knew his behaviour was far from forgivable. "No, Lilian, you were right with what your said. I was the one who decided to cheat on you. I was the one who did you down. I was the one who ruined our relationship" He started to smile. "And you were also right that I'll find a girl someday with whom I'll spend the rest of my life with"

"I'm sorry you have to leave London. I know how much you love it"

"Don't be," Michael said. "I think it's best for me to leave. In Leeds, no one knows what happened, and I'll be free from your father's pressure"

Before Lilian could answer, an announcement caught their attention. " _Attention! The train from Kensington with last stop in Leeds will be due in one minute on platform two!"_

"I guess that means we have to say goodbye," said Michael. "Can I…can I hug you? For old time's sake?"

Lilian stepped forward, and they embraced each other.

"Good luck," Lilian said while they hugged.

"Thank you," Michael answered. "Good luck in your job. And with Peter" He stepped back. "He seems to be a nice guy. I hope unlike me, he doesn't throw away his fortune"

The train stopped at the platform and opened its doors. Michael took his suitcase and walked to the train. Before he stepped into it, he turned around and smiled at Lilian. She smiled too, and then he left for his new life.


	19. Chapter 19

" _ **I look at you and see the rest of my life in front of my eyes" – Unknown**_

Lilian and Newkirk strolled through the park in search for a place to picnic. It's been two weeks since Michael left London for good and slowly but surely things got back to normal. Lilian had moved back to her flat after about one month that she spent at Hannah's, and even the occasional nightmares were starting to come lesser and lesser. However, one thing quite strange in Newkirk's opinion was the fact that she never spoke badly about Michael whenever his name came up. The day he left, Samuel visited his sister, alarmed by Hannah's phone call. Lilian enlightened him about what happened, which resulted in Samuel throwing a tantrum and using some pretty nasty insults. Newkirk sat right beside Lilian and was shocked to see a British Army soldier cursing worse than he did. After Samuel somehow calmed down, Lilian told him to not be so hard on Michael since he had problems on his own and only made a mistake. You should have seen Samuel's expression! It seemed like he was about to burst with anger. And what followed was a ten minute screaming match between the siblings that ended in Newkirk stepping in because he feared they would tear each other's heads off. They quickly reconciled, though it left Newkirk puzzled on why Lilian forgave Michael; and up until now, he had not received a proper explanation. But he figured as long as he had the old Lilian back, he would not argue with her.

He was taken out of his thoughts when he heard Lilian asking, "What about there?" She pointed to a huge tree near the riverbank. "The tree provides shade, and we have an amazing view on the Thames"

"Whatever ya like best is fine with me," Newkirk answered.

They walked hand in hand to the tree, and Newkirk spread the blanket he brought with them right next to it. Then he sat down and leant against the tree while Lilian opened the picnic basket to retrieve the sandwiches she made for them.

"It really is a beautiful day for a picnic, don't you think so?" she asked him.

"Absolutely. It's pleasantly warm outside, and ya can see 'at everyone is 'appy for summer comin' alon'"

Lilian handed him a wrapped sandwich. "Well, you can believe me that I am more than happy for summer holidays to start in two weeks. The kids have been unbearable lately" She sat down with her legs crossed to the left, making sure her dress always covered everything till the knees.

Newkirk watched her unobtrusively, admiring the way how her wavy, shoulder-length chestnut brown hair gleamed in the midday sun. Lilian truly was the most beautiful girl he had ever laid eyes on; and he had laid eyes on many birds in his life. And speaking of eyes, he had been smitten with hers from the very beginning. It was their unique colour that had captured him; green with a faint hint of yellow, which would blossom if she smiled. No other girl he ever was with could compete with her beauty. And it were times like this that he realized how lucky he was to have Lilian as his girlfriend, yet at the same time Newkirk wondered why she bothered with a bloke like him.

"Earth to Peter!" Lilian smirked after she caught him staring at her. "Did you hear anything I said, or were you daydreaming again?"

"Well, I did 'ear ya complainin' about the kids in yer class, but only in the back of me mind. I was too wrapped up in yer beauty," he said with a toothy grin.

Lilian instantly blushed. It happened every time he complimented her, and he loved it. She was the exact opposite of him; modest, shy, and her idea of a perfect evening was a good book at home. Newkirk, on the other hand, was haughty, laddish, and liked to spend his evenings with his mates and a pint. As different as they were, they complemented each other perfectly. He showed her how much fun it could be to sometimes take a chance, and she often brought him back down to earth. They were the perfect couple.

"You're an old charmer, do you know that?"

He leant forward with a cheeky grin on his face. "Yeah, but I'm yer ol' charmer"

Lilian also leant forward, their faces only inches apart. "And I wouldn't want to have it any other way"

Newkirk smiled and closed the remaining distance between them, placing his lips on hers. The kiss was soft but short, since they were in the public at midday and didn't want to raise unwanted attention.

"So, why are the kids annoyin' ya? I thought ya loved them," Newkirk asked while taking a bite from his sandwich.

"I do love them, with all my heart. You can't imagine how it is to have 32 first graders looking up to you," she raved. "But when they can't wait for summer holidays to arrive, they really can get on your nerves. And then you have 32 of them at once"

"I can't wait for summer 'olidays to arrive too," Newkirk said.

Lilian looked at him, a confused look on her face. "Why? I mean, it's not like you're in school anymore"

" 'at would be a bit strange, don't ya think? As the twenty-three year ol' man I am," Newkirk said. "But durin' summer 'olidays, I'm able to see me pretty girl more often"

Lilian reddened again and looked to the ground. "Stop that, Peter! You put me to the blush"

"But ya look cute when ya turn red," Newkirk flirted.

She shook her head, smiling at his flirtatious behaviour. Even after eight months of being a couple, he used every chance he got to flirt with her as if he was still trying to win her over. And every time she had to blush, because she was not accustomed to being complimented all the time. Lilian looked up from her hands, and now she was the one who watched Newkirk. The sparkle in his greyish-green eyes, because of which it seemed like he was always up to something, intensified when he was smiling, and on more than one occasion she found herself lost in them. His tousled yet combed black hair made him look like a schoolboy searching for trouble, and that was probably the best description of his character. And when his long and slender fingers caressed her skin, she was on cloud nine. He simply was an utterly handsome man.

Lilian decided it was time to flirt back. "You are not bad-looking yourself, mister"

"Oh, only "not bad-lookin'"?" Newkirk said with a pout.

"Well…" Lilian struggled not to dissolve in a fit of laughter. "Extremely handsome would probably be the better description, but then you would only fancy yourself"

He made a fake hurtful face and put his hands above his heart. "Ya wound me too quickly," he answered theatrically.

That was all Lilian needed to start laughing, not being able to control herself any longer. This was another reason why she loved him; his sense of humour, and his ability to always make her laugh.

"Please…stop…," she tried to say in between laughs. "You make my cheeks hurt"

"Oh, 'at is somethin' I definitely don't want; yer cheeks are far too fanciable"

Lilian playfully hit him against his shoulder, and they both started laughing. The people around them must have thought they were lunatics, but they didn't care. They only cared about the person in front of them.

After they calmed down, a thought struck Lilian. "I almost forgot, darling. When do we have to be at your parents' home?"

"At 4 o'clock, luv," Newkirk said. "We will 'ave tea and cake, after 'at Dad will open up the presents, and then we are goin' to 'ave dinner"

It was his father's 55th birthday, and that meant the whole Newkirk clan was getting together, just like on Christmas, Easter, and on any of the family members' birthdays. He didn't envy his parents and siblings; since he was a bachelor in a small flat, he celebrated his birthdays at his parents too. This meant his mother made a big meal for their whole family at least five times a year; without the regular family dinners on Sundays.

"We 'ave to go to me flat before we'll met them to get the present," he added.

Lilian nodded and continued eating. After they both finished and put everything back into the picnic basket, Newkirk suggested to stay a little while longer and enjoy the weather. She agreed and he motioned for her to lay her head in his lap while he leant back against the tree once more. At first she hesitated and looked around, not sure about showing this amount of affection in public, but Newkirk encouraged her by saying that there would be nothing to it. Lilian looked him in the eyes, and was greeted by this exceptional sparkle she loved. She gave in and settled down on her back, and he immediately started to drive with his slender fingers through her hair. His left hand lay on her stomach, in between hers. Lilian closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of his touch. Her closed eyes prevented her from seeing the thoughtful look on Newkirk's face as he tried to decide whether to continue with his plan or not. He didn't know if it was too early; well, in his opinion it was not, but maybe Lilian thought of it as too early. However, the incident with Michael had opened his eyes.

"What is troubling you, darling?" Lilian asked, squeezing his hand.

He quickly started smiling and said, "Nothin' is troublin' me, luv. Only thinkin'"

"About what?"

"About yer brother," Newkirk lied. "Do ya think 'e and Grace will get back together?"

"I don't know; hopefully. Why?" Lilian asked.

He continued brushing through her hair. "Just thinkin'. Isn't it sad 'at the only reason they broke up was 'is career in the military?"

"I always thought that too, but Samuel didn't want Grace ending up like David's mother. In a way, I understand him," she explained.

"Has she lost 'er 'usband?"

Lilian nodded. "He was killed at Gallipoli. David was only one year old, and as far as I know, his mother really struggled with his father's death. One time, David had asked Mrs Phillips about it, and she only said that there was a time that his mother had trouble getting up in the morning. That's how wrapped up in grieve she was"

"This is the reason why I will never join up," Newkirk muttered.

"And because you're not good with following orders," she smirked.

Newkirk had to laugh. "Ya know me too well, luv"

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the birds flying around and the people walking through the park. Lilian had closed her eyes again, and Newkirk observed the boats floating on the Thames. Then he glanced at his jacket, and decided it was time to take a chance.

"Luv," he said, already a slight tremor in his voice. "There is somethin' I'd like to tell ya"

Lilian opened her eyes, alarmed by the tone of his voice. She sat up and eyed him. "Is everything alright?"

"Sure, everythin' is in Bristol fashion," Newkirk said, while he knelt down on one knee. He took her hands in his slightly trembling hands, and continued, "Lil, from the moment I first spotted ya in the audience, I knew I was doomed. I almost forgot 'at I 'ad to perform when I laid eyes on ya, because I was swept away by yer captivatin' smile" Newkirk smiled at the thought, and nervously caressed the back of Lilian's hands. "I knew I 'ad to meet ya, and ya can't imagine 'ow 'appy I was when ya agreed to let me walk ya 'ome. Though it was yer beauty 'at got me attention, it was the walk to yer flat 'at made me fell in love with ya. And when ya kissed me, I was thinkin' to meself, 'I am gonna marry 'er'"

Newkirk looked down at their hands, trying to get a hold of his nerves. He had prepared a speech that he had practised multiple times, but now he had forgotten everything. "I never was 'appier in me whole life than in the last eight months 'at we were together. When I am around ya, I'm able to let all me walls come down, and ya make me feel strong when I feel weak. Most people think I'm a thief and a failure, but not ya. Ya never cared about where I was from, and for the first time in me life I 'ad the feelin' 'at a girl was really interested in me"

He let go of her hands and reached for his jacket with shaking hands. Newkirk was incredible nervous; he even had a hard time searching for the small box in his jacket pocket. He finally found what he was looking for, and turned his attention back to Lilian, who gasped and put her hands over her mouth at the sight of a small blue velvet box in his hands. "Before I met ya, I thought I would never end up on one knee in front of a girl, but now 'at I know ya, I can't imagine me life without ya in it. I want yer face to be the last thin' I see before I fall asleep, and the first thin' I see when I wake up in the morning. Actually, I don't want to fall asleep at all, because I don't wanna miss a single moment with ya. With ya by me side, reality is finally better than me dreams"

Newkirk opened the box and revealed a silver ring with a square cut diamond. Nothing fancy, but it still looked beautiful. He could not afford much more, and even this plain ring was straining his budget.

He took a deep breath, and looked in Lilian's gleaming eyes right before he asked, "Lilian Wheeler, will ya marry me?"


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: From now on, it will take me longer for updating chapters (I know that you guys already have to wait long for updates, sorry). From January to May I have to learn and write my final exams which are utterly important to me. But I will try to squeeze in time for writing, just be patient with me :)**

 **2nd A/N: Newkirk's family will appear in this chapter. If you can't remember who is who, just look up chapter 9. There I had posted a small family tree at the end of the chapter.**

* * *

" _ **When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew" – William Shakespeare**_

Lilian was shocked as her mind tried to process what had happened. Newkirk knelt in front of her with a ring in his hand. An engagement ring. _Marriage proposal!_ Her shock didn't result from the fact that she was against marrying Newkirk, she just had never thought he would ask her now. Not with only eight months into dating. Lilian knew about his history with women; he himself had told her because he didn't want to hide it from her. It was after one of the women he was with in the past came up to him one day at the pub, and asked if he was free for the night; with Lilian right next to him! And instead of being angry, Lilian started chuckling, which only added to Newkirk's embarrassment. She didn't mind his reputation as a lady's man; it simply was the reason she had never guessed he would think about marriage this soon.

When her mind was working again, she managed to look up from the ring and at him, seeing that he grew more nervous with every second she didn't say anything. Then Lilian realized she indeed had not said a word since his proposal.

"Yes! Of course I want to marry you!" she said at last, and started smiling.

Newkirk sighed in relief, his nervous smile changing into a jubilant one. Still trembling, he removed the silver ring from the blue box, laying it next to him on the blanket. He then looked in her eyes before he carefully slipped the ring on her left ring finger. Their eyes locked again, and Newkirk moved forward, throwing his arms around Lilian and giving her a deep kiss. Totally forgetting her surroundings, Lilian settled her hands around his neck and returned the kiss. They broke apart when they heard applause, and looked around to see that the people around them had watched Newkirk's proposal. Lilian started to blush again, and buried her face in his shoulder, while he obviously liked the attention, because he took a bow, prompting some of the "audience" to laugh.

When the applause faded, Newkirk placed his forehead on hers and said, "I love you, Lilian. More than words can describe"

"Oh, Peter, I love you too. So very much"

He sat back against the tree, with Lilian leaning against his shoulder. He stroke the back of her hand and joked, "Ya know, ya almost gave me a 'eart attack when ya didn't answer"

"I was just…startled," answered Lilian. "Never thought you were already thinking about marriage, that's all"

"Like I said, I knew I would ask ya to marry me from the first day we met" He drove with one finger over the ring's band. "Been carryin' it around for almost three months. Never 'ad the nerve to ask ya, but when Michael threatened ya, I thought for a moment 'at I might lose ya. 'at's when I decided to not wait any longer" Newkirk glanced at the ring again. "I 'ope ya like it. I know it's nothin' fancy, but ya know –"

Newkirk was interrupted by Lilian laying a finger on his mouth. "I love it; it's absolutely wonderful. I was never keen on jewellery, especially extravagant and ostentatious one. In fact, I never really liked to wear it at all" She took a hold of the necklace she wore, the one he gave her on their first Christmas. "But you managed to get me exactly the type of jewellery I'm comfortable wearing. That speaks for itself" Lilian now began to caress his hand. "And stop apologizing every time you think you don't have enough money to afford certain things. I don't care about material things, I only care about you. You, and your sense of humour…and your smashing eyes" Newkirk chuckled.

"As long as we have each other," Lilian said. "Nothing else matters"

Newkirk pulled her closer. "Blimey, ya're truly the most wonderful girl I've ever met in me entire life"

"And you are the most marvellous man I have ever met"

* * *

Before they made their way to the home of Newkirk's parents, the newly engaged couple swung by Newkirk's flat to retrieve their present and to leave the basket with the blanket at his flat. He put the box with a new pocket watch for his father in his jacket pocket, and then he took Lilian's hand in his. On their way to the birthday celebration, they started talking about their upcoming wedding.

"How long do you want to be engaged?" asked Lilian.

"As short as possible," Newkirk grinned. "I don't want to wait any longer than I 'ave to be able to call ya me wife"

"You can call yourself lucky that summer holidays start in two weeks. Then we have enough time to make all the arrangements. We have to take care of the invitations, we have to look for a church and a location for the reception, and then I'll have to find a dress, and so on"

Newkirk gently squeezed her hand. "Don't worry, luv. Everythin' will work out just fine"

Lilian admired her ring. "I can't wait to tell Samuel that we're engaged. I'm sure he will be thrilled"

"Actually," he said. "Samuel is already thrilled about our engagement"

"You told him?" Lilian asked puzzled.

"Of course, luv. I'm a classy guy, and so I asked 'im for the permission to marry ya. I knew yer father 'ates me and would never agree to it, and I figured Samuel's opinion would be more important to ya than yer father's"

"You're right with that," she said. "You said he was enthused by the thought of us two getting married?"

Newkirk nodded. "Yes, 'e was beyond thrilled. Said 'at 'e was 'appy ya found someone who makes ya feel cherished, and not someone who does ya down like Michael. Also said 'e likes the thought of me being 'is brother-in-law"

"And you feared he might hate you before you first met him" After a while, she said, "Lilian Newkirk. Has a nice ring to it"

"Mhm, absolutely lovely," Newkirk smiled. "I can't wait to see the look on me mates faces when I tell them about our weddin'. After all, Luke thought ya would ran away on our first date"

"And miss out on snuggling up with you? I'd be crazy!"

Newkirk laughed. "So ya only keep me around for me body, 'uh?" He leaned closer and whispered into her ear, "I don't mind at all"

Lilian simply shook her head, but smiled. They reached his parents' flat and Newkirk knocked on the door.

"When do ya want to tell them?" he asked.

"I don't know. Whenever you want," Lilian said. "But I think you should tell them; you're their son"

Newkirk wanted to answer, but he was interrupted by a door flying open.

" 'appy Birthday, Dad!" he exclaimed when he saw that his father opened the door.

They hugged, and Mr Newkirk answered, "Thank ya, me son!"

Newkirk stepped away, and his father immediately embraced Lilian. "Happy Birthday, William," she greeted.

"Thank ya too, me dear," Mr Newkirk said. "Come in!"

He ushered them inside, not noticing the ring on Lilian's finger. The group went into the dining room, where the rest of the Newkirk family was already seated. They greeted each other while Newkirk and Lilian sat down at the table. She sat between Newkirk and his sister Mavis, the Newkirk sibling she talked the most with due to their similar age and same job. Lilian had placed her hand with the ring strategically under the table, so that no one would spot it until Newkirk decided to announce their engagement.

There was some chattering until Mrs Newkirk stepped into the dining room, carrying a Victoria Sponge cake, Mr Newkirk's favourite cake. The room hushed, and the family started singing "Happy Birthday to You". Lilian enjoyed the singing; her family never sang on her or Samuel's birthdays. In fact, there was never such a thing like a "birthday party", celebrating with their family and maybe friends. They got some presents and a cake, and that was it. It was not something she looked forward to like other children, because she knew from her friends about what she was missing out. However, Mr Adams always tried to cheer them up. At the end of the day, when Lilian and Samuel were playing together, he would always come and give them some candy; he even played with them for a while! Lilian had been always very fond of their butler, since he tried to give the siblings the warmth they lacked from their parents.

Mrs Newkirk placed the cake on the table, and started cutting it, giving everyone a small piece. After all, there were 27 people to be fed! How it was possible to get so many people at one table was a miracle, but somehow they pulled it off. The amount of people just meant to move closer together. After everyone got a piece, multiple conversations started, and Lilian ended up talking to Mavis, Newkirk's other sister Mary, and Newkirk's mother.

"I'm so glad it's finally summer," announced Mavis. "I can't wait for 'olidays to start"

"Me too!" chipped Eric in, Mary's oldest son. "Finally no more school!"

They started laughing at the nine-year-old boy's remark, and Lilian said, "I'm glad about summer holidays coming along too!" She turned to Mavis. "Are the kids in your class also somehow rather annoying in the last few weeks?"

Mavis simply waved off. "Get on yer bike! They're unbearable. Whatever ya say, ya can be sure they don't listen to ya"

"At least ya know now 'ow I and yer father always felt when ya all were kids. None of ya listened to what we said too!" Mrs Newkirk exclaimed.

"Come on, Mum. We were not 'at bad," Mary said.

Mrs Newkirk smiled. "No, ya were much worse"

This prompted everyone to laugh again. Lilian just loved to be with the Newkirk's. There was such a great dynamic between the family members, and from the first moment they met, they welcomed her with open arms. She already felt like she was one of them, and she was more comfortable with them than with her own family.

Lilian turned her head towards Newkirk when she felt him squeezing her hand under the table. He gave her a questioning look, and she instantly knew what was about to happen. Lilian smiled at him and nodded slightly, indicating him she was ready to tell them.

Next, Newkirk cleared his throat. " 'ey guys, there is somethin' I'd like to tell ya"

Everyone at the table fell silent, and stared at him. Even the children were quiet.

"Or more precisely, Lilian and I want to tell ya somethin'" Newkirk glanced at her again. "Earlier this day, I asked 'er to marry me, and she said yes!"

They were greeted by a wave of surprised looks.

"Oh, dear lord!" exclaimed Mrs Newkirk, putting her hands in front of her mouth. She could not believe what her son had only moments ago told her.

"Wait, are ya serious?" asked Thomas. "Ya gettin' married?"

Lilian removed her hand from under the table, and showed everyone the simple silver ring on her finger.

Irene, the wife of Newkirk's brother Alexander, took Lilian's hand in hers, examining the ring. "I have to hand it to ya, Peter. It really is a beautiful ring," she said.

Henry shook his head. "I can't believe it! 'ow did ya get an intelligent girl like Lilian to say yes?"

"Tosser!" hissed Newkirk, and kicked his brother in the shin.

Mr Newkirk ignored the banter between his sons, and reached out his hand and shook his sons while putting the other one on Newkirk's shoulder. "I'm proud of ya, son!"

* * *

The rest of the evening was spent with talking about the upcoming wedding, and remembering the previous ones of Newkirk's siblings. There was even already some planning. For example, Emma and Jack offered to tailor Lilian's wedding dress and a new suit for Newkirk as a wedding gift, and Mr Newkirk declared that they should approach the community's vicar, Pastor North, and ask him to hold the ceremony, because he was his unit's pastor in the Great War and they were still good friends.

After the celebration, Newkirk walked Lilian home. At her door, he started to kiss her, softly at first. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, giving in to the moment. Newkirk pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. He slightly pushed her against the door when Lilian realized what he was up to. She tried to break away from his passionate kiss, only prompting him to plant kisses on her neck.

"Peter, darling," she pleaded softly. "I think we should stop now"

"Why…I like…what we…are doing," Newkirk said in between kisses.

Lilian gently pushed at his shoulders. "Well, I like it too –"

"So why…do…you…want me…to stop?" he asked while making his way up to her ear.

"Because I want our first night together to be truly special" Lilian moved her hands up and down his chest.

Newkirk stopped nibbling at her earlobe, and backed away from her. "Ya want to wait till our weddin' night?" He placed his hands on her waist.

She nodded. "Yes, I think it would make it even more special with us as husband and wife"

Newkirk looked her deep in the eyes, and began to smile. "I think yer right, luv. And I mean, I've waited the last eight months; what are a few weeks more?"

Lilian smiled genuinely at him, and kissed him goodnight. He waited for her to step into her flat, and after she closed the door behind her, Newkirk headed back to his own flat, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he was going to marry the girl of his dreams.


	21. Chapter 21

" _ **When two people fall in love, all they can think about is how to build a perfect world around them" – Unknown**_

 _Two days later…_

"You're what?" asked Hannah shocked.

Lilian smiled, and showed her best friend her left hand. The silver diamond ring Newkirk gave her was sparkling in the light, and Hannah reached out to take hold of Lilian's hand.

"I can't believe it" She looked up from her friend's hand. "You're getting married!"

Lilian leaned back against her desk. "I'm every bit as surprised as you are. Never thought Peter was already thinking about marriage"

"I'm really happy for you, Lilian," Hannah declared. "You definitely seem much happier since you're with Peter"

" I am. He is the man of my dreams; and I'm head over heels in love," she fancied. "And I hope you do me the honour and be my Maid of Honour"

" Of course I'll do it! After all, I'm your best friend and the person who talked you into talking with him in the first place"

Lilian started beaming, and the two friends hugged each other.

Hannah sat back, and began to bombard Lilian with questions. "Where did he propose? And when? What did he say? And how did you react? I want to know everything!"

Lilian went on to tell Hannah every detail of Newkirk's proposal, and when she was finished, Hannah said, "He sure knows how to make things romantic" She paused. "Did he really bowed when the people applauded?"

Lilian nodded. "And I was totally embarrassed! But that's just who he is. Always likes to be the centre of attention"

"Well, you know what they say. Opposites attract"

"Talking about opposites," Lilian alluded. "How are things with Colin?"

Hannah and Colin were now officially a couple for two weeks, but it had been obvious to all their friends that they were dating each other secretly for a much longer time. The two lovebirds tried to hide their relationship until they were sure about where things would go, but the way Hannah and Colin looked at each other was evident. Since Lilian understood how Hannah felt after John broke up with her, she played along and pretended she would not notice anything. But now they've made their relationship public, and she was finally able to talk with Hannah about Colin.

"Everything's great; much better than with John," Hannah answered lovestruck. "It's only bad that we can't see each other during the week"

Lilian moved closer to her friend and rubbed her upper arm. "Don't worry, Hannah. Everything will turn out fine. That way, you two only treasure the time you have together even more"

Hannah smiled at Lilian's remark and nodded. "Yeah, you're right with that" As Lilian started to clean the blackboard, a thought crossed Hannah's mind. "Say, will you continue working when you get married?"

"Certainly I will," answered Lilian, without turning away from the blackboard. "I've already told Peter that I don't plan to stop working because of our marriage, and he said he would never demand of me to quit my job" Then she turned around. "He knows I love to work with the children, and how important it is to me to educate them"

"I'm glad to hear that. Lunch would be incredible boring without you"

* * *

Lilian left the school about ten minutes later to meet with Newkirk and Pastor North to discuss their upcoming wedding. Since he was the vicar of his family's church, it was only natural for Newkirk to marry the girl of his dreams there, and Lilian happily agreed to it, because she didn't feel connected to her own family's church. As she reached the pastor's vicarage, she already saw Newkirk waiting for her while smoking a cigarette. That was the only thing Lilian didn't like about Newkirk; his smoking habit. But she knew it would have little use to try to talk him out of it, because of how long he is smoking and the number of cigarettes he smoked daily. He consumed at least a pack a day; since he was fourteen. And with the grumpy mood he developed when he had not had his fair share of cigarettes, Lilian wasn't sure if she even wanted Newkirk to quit smoking. After all, his mouth tasting like cigarettes every time they kissed was not all that bad; especially with his soft lips as some kind as redemption.

As Lilian approached her fiancé, Newkirk threw his cigarette to the ground and grinded it under his heel. He then came her way and embraced her, planting a kiss on Lilian's smooth lips. " 'ey, luv! 'ow was yer day?"

Still in his arms, she answered, "Boring. The only thrilling part was telling Hannah about our engagement, and asking her to be my Maid of Honour"

"I assume she said yes?"

"You assume right. Said it was only plausible because she talked me into talking with you"

"And I can't thank 'er enough for 'at," said Newkirk as he leaned in for another kiss.

This kiss was much more passionate, with Newkirk nibbling at her lower lip, prompting Lilian to open her mouth. Now her tongue brushed across his upper lip before touching his tongue, resulting in Newkirk moaning slightly.

At last they broke apart, but Newkirk didn't remove his hands from her hips. "I think we should go to Pastor North now. It's rude to let a pastor wait"

* * *

T hey left the vicarage about thirty minutes later, happy that the pastor agreed to marry them. He even offered them the parish hall for the reception, since Newkirk was one of William's sons and Pastor North still felt deeply connected to his former comrade. A date for the wedding was set too; August 16th, about a month from today. Especially Newkirk was extremely jubilant about that, because the wedding could not happen fast enough for him. If it was up to him, he would marry Lilian right now, without the nick-nack of a traditional wedding. But Newkirk knew that Lilian wanted a traditional wedding, surrounded by their family and friends, with a reception afterwards. And he would give her the wedding she always dreamt of, even if it meant to give the shirt off his back. He was determined to make this day the most beautiful day in Lilian's life, to show her that she was everything to him.

Newkirk squeezed her hand slightly, and then broke his train of thought. "What do ya think of 'at, luv? In less than one month, we're 'usband and wife"

"It sounds wonderful" Lilian smiled. "But I'm surely glad we decided to meet with your sister and her husband today. That should leave them enough time for the dress and the suit, without having to let the daily business slide" She tucked her arm into Newkirk's and added, "I think it's utterly nice of your sister to make my dress and your suit for free"

"Well, luv, ya need to know one thin'. We Newkirk siblings, we always 'elp and support each other. No matter 'ow grim it looks, no one is left behind"

* * *

"So, Lilian, any idea 'ow the dress should look like?" Emma asked while taking last measures. "Any must-'aves?"

"Not really," Lilian admitted. "To be honest, I'm rather clueless"

"Don't worry! I 'ave already a few things on me mind" Emma motioned her over to a nearby table. She took a pen and started drawing a sketch. "Ya 'ave a slim and fragile-lookin' figure. I would rather emphasise yer figure with a formfittin' bodice that 'as a fluent passage into the skirt than a Cinderella type of dress. Ya would get lost in so much fabric," chuckled Emma. "Do ya like lace?"

Lilian sat down beside her future sister-in-law and nodded. "I do, very much"

"Then I would suggest we embellish the bodice with lace, endin' at the waistline. I mean, we could garnish the whole dress if ya want, but I think then it's too much and the lace loses its impact. What do ya think?"

"I prefer to embellish just the bodice too"

The two women went on to discuss multiple options for Lilian's dress, until they heard Jack, Emma's husband, and Newkirk approaching the backroom. Emma swiftly put away the sketches, so that the two men were not able to even catch a glimpse. After all, it's said to bring bad luck when the man sees the dress before the wedding; and Emma didn't want to risk anything. She was far too happy that her brother finally decided to settle down; with a wonderful girl on top of that. She really liked Lilian, even though she was slightly sceptical before they first met. She had feared that Lilian maybe wouldn't be able to adjust to living in the lower class, and that Newkirk would only get his heart broken in the end. But Emma's fears vanished after she first met her, when she got to know what a terrific human being Lilian was.

Now she looked forward witnessing how her bon viveur of brother entered into the bond of marriage and becoming an ordinary family man.

* * *

 **A/N: I know it's a short chapter, and I'm sorry for that. And I realize you guys had to wait a long time for the update, and probably expected more. But in between learning for my final exams and doing homework and learning for my regular exams, I find myself in the middle of a writer's block. However, I thought it's best to update a chapter I'm not completely satisfied with than having this nagging feeling that I let you wait.**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I'd like to thank Lilygirl for all her encouraging reviews. I'm glad you like the story and my writing, and I hope you will have as much fun with the following chapters as you had until now**

* * *

" _ **My family is my strength and my weakness" – Aishwarya Rai Bachchan**_

"I'm 'ome, luv!" called Newkirk as he entered his flat.

Today, he and Lilian wanted to compile a list of whom they'd like to invite, and since Newkirk didn't know when he'd come home because he agreed to help Walter tidying out the pub and doing inventory, he had given Lilian the keys to his flat, so she could wait in his flat for him.

As Newkirk hung up his jacket, Lilian came into the hallway and greeted him with a hug and a kiss. "Hey, darling. How were things with Walter?"

"Ya wouldn't believe 'ow many empty crates 'e keeps in the storage room," Newkirk answered. "But at least 'e gave me somethin' to show 'is gratitude" He revealed a bottle of whiskey he held in his hand behind her back. "Now we can 'ave a nice evenin'," Newkirk said with a smirk.

Lilian simply shook her head, but one of her genuine smiles he always loved to see found its way onto her lips. "But keep it closed until we're finished with the invitations, you old boozer. I would like to send them out at the end of the week"

Newkirk watched her going into his kitchen and started smiling. All afternoon long, he wished time to go by fast, because he couldn't wait to come home to Lilian and spend the evening with her. And with her affectionate greeting, Newkirk finally understood why his father always looked forward to coming home after work to his family. Knowing that someone would be at home, waiting for him to return from work was one of the best and fulfilling feeling there was.

"Are you coming?" he heard Lilian calling, which took him out of his thoughts.

Newkirk walked into the kitchen, where he was greeted by the sight of a cuppa on the table and the scent of something cooking on the stove.

While he sat down, Lilian placed two plates on the table and asked, "I hope you don't mind I took the liberty of cooking something for us"

Newkirk took a sip from his cup. "I sure don't, luv. Ya're a much better cook than me"

"Well, that's not all too difficult," she teased. Lilian sat down beside him with a notebook and a pencil. "Let's start with whom you want to invite"

While eating, Newkirk answered, "Well, of course me family, Luke, Jacob, and some other old school friends, Walter, and the guys from the Palladium"

"How many school friends you want to invite?"

"Four. John Bolton, Edward Dyer, Richard Farrell, and Bertie Klugs"

Lilian looked up from her notepad. "Bertie?"

"Never liked 'is given name Bert; that's why we started callin' 'im Bertie," Newkirk chuckled as he took another bite from the chicken breast.

"And he really liked Bertie better?" she asked while she summarized Newkirk's side of the guests. "If I didn't count wrong, which would be embarrassing considering that I teach Math, and include possible company of the guests, we would be at 67 guests"

"And 'at's only me half!" exclaimed Newkirk. "This will be a big weddin'"

He was starting to get nervous at the thought of the number of people that might be coming to their wedding. The more guests there were, the more it would cost him. But at the same time he liked how many people would see him marrying the most beautiful girl in the world.

Lilian nodded. "Fortunately, Pastor North offered the parish hall for the reception"

"And whom do ya want to invite?" queried Newkirk.

"Let's see. Hannah, who will certainly come with Colin, but we'll send him an invitation nonetheless. Then all the teachers from my school, and of course Samuel. Also Alexander –"

"Ya want to invite this tosser?" snorted Newkirk. He still had the image of him flirting with Lilian in his mind, and Newkirk could really do without him at his wedding.

"Alexander is not all that bad," Lilian said, trying to defend her decision. "Besides, he'll be attending **our** wedding. I think it will be clear to him that I'm not interested in him. Then there's Percy, Benjamin, some other friends from school, and not forgetting Mr Adams"

Newkirk moved closer to look at the notepad and grinned. "Am I allowed to ask for yer school friends' names too?"

"But only because you asked so nice," Lilian joked. "Their names are Jane Howarth, Marjorie Pollard, and Clarice MacDonald. All in all, it would be 110 guests. But I think we can plan with 109, because I'm sure Alexander will try to pick up someone at the reception. Including us, we would be 111 people. That's a nice number," explained Lilian.

"It sure is," said Newkirk. Suddenly something struck his eye. "Wait a second. Don't ya want to invite yer parents?"

Lilian set aside the notebook. "Of course not. I didn't talk to them in five months, and if I recall it correctly, the last time I saw them they tried to get rid of you and we almost broke up because of them"

"Yeah, I remember 'at clearly," said Newkirk.

"Besides, I'm sure they don't even want to come. Why squander paper for them?"

Newkirk scooted closer to Lilian and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear to get a better look at her face. "Are ya sure, luv? There's nothin' wron' with wantin' yer parents at our weddin'" Then he started to stroke her upper arm. "And I'm sure 'at even if they don't accept me, yer parents would love to come. I also think yer father would want to walk ya down the aisle"

"Well, I'm not interested in what they want," Lilian declared. "I don't want them to be there, and I surely don't want my father walk me down the aisle. Samuel will do that"

Newkirk sighed. He knew his fiancé well enough by now to know that he couldn't argue with her once Lilian made up her mind. And he understood her. It was not that he wanted them to be there; he just wanted Lilian to be happy. "Alright," he said. "I just want to make sure ya're happy. But I'm goin' to visit yer parents nevertheless"

"You do what?" she asked in disbelief.

"I'm goin' to visit them," he repeated. "Maybe ya don't want to invite them, but I think they should at least know about our weddin'"

Lilian looked him in the eyes, affectionately touching his smooth lips. "You said you only want me to be happy?" Newkirk slightly nodded, enjoying her touch. "So do I. That's why I don't think it's a good idea to visit them. You will only make yourself unhappy"

He removed her hand from his lips and caressed the back of it with his thumb. "Don't worry, luv. If they make pejorative remarks, I'll give them a piece of me mind" Newkirk moved his mouth closer to hers. "Plus, 'ow should I be unhappy with ya by me side"

Lilian smiled at his sweet words, and he tenderly pressed his lips on hers, savouring the feeling of her soft lips.

* * *

 _One week later…_

Newkirk knocked on the door to the Wheeler mansion. At first, he had intended to pay Lilian's parents a visit the day after they talked about the invitations, but Lilian pointed out that if he waited one week, he could already give Mr Adams his invitation. Now he found himself waiting for the door to be opened, and just the thought of meeting the Wheelers made him rage. Newkirk sensed there would be some unpleasant expressions lying ahead of him, but he was determined to show them that they do him wrong and how injurious their behaviour towards Lilian was.

The door was opened, and he was greeted by a puzzled looking Mr Adams. "Mr Newkirk? What are you doing here? Did something happen to Ms Wheeler?"

Newkirk softly smiled at the fact that the other man remembered him. "No, Mr Adams, Lilian is doin' fine. I'm 'ere because I want to talk with 'er parents"

"Do you think that's a good idea, Mr Newkirk?" asked Mr Adams worried. "I don't think Mr and Mrs Wheeler will be happy to see you"

"I'm sure they'll be anythin' but 'appy. 'owever, it's important 'at I talk with them"

Mr Adams stepped aside. "If you say so, who am I to stop you?"

"Thank ya," said Newkirk with a nod. Then he remembered the invitation. "Oh, I almost forgot. Lilian and I are gettin' married, and we would like ya to come" He handed him the invitation.

"Well, first of all, congratulations," said Mr Adams upon taking the invitation from Newkirk. "And second, I surely will come" He stuck the paper into his breast pocket. "Follow me, Mr Newkirk. I will send them to you"

Mr Adams led Newkirk into the reception room and then left to find Lilian's parents. While he waited, Newkirk looked around the flamboyant room. It was held in brown and gold shades, with many expensive looking paintings at the walls. In the middle of the room was a table and multiple seating accommodations, and in the back was a liquor cabinet. All in all, Newkirk felt completely out of place. His attention was taken away from the interior when he heard someone loudly coming to the room.

"What were you thinking, leaving him alone?" It was Mr Wheeler, and from the tone of his voice, he was not happy at the prospect of seeing his, unknown to him, future son-in-law. "These Cockneys are all thieves! We can be lucky if we are not robbed by now"

He turned around and saw Mr and Mrs Wheeler entering the reception room. "You!" raged Mr Wheeler. "You really have the nerve to show up again? What do you want from us?"

Newkirk chocked down his rising anger, and politely answered, "I 'ad 'oped ya would give up some of yer valuable time so 'at we could talk, Sir"

"Is that so?" Mr Wheeler sarcastically retorted. "But there is nothing I'd like to discuss with some filthy Cockney like you"

Newkirk had a hard time controlling himself. If any other guy had insulted him like that, he would have already punched him in the nose. However, he had promised Lilian to do nothing that could land him in jail, and therefore, he simply clenched his fists.

"Don't be so harsh, darling," interrupted Mrs Wheeler. "It won't hurt to hear him. And then you can still throw him out if you'd like"

Mr Wheeler seemed to consider his wife's suggestion. Finally, he pointed to the seating accommodations. "Sit down, and let's get this over with"

Newkirk thanked him and sat down across from his future parents-in-law. He declined their offer of tea or liquor, and after Mr Wheeler got himself a drink, he asked, "So, why are you here?"

Newkirk thought about how to put his next words, but decided it was best to not beat around the bush. "In about one month, I'm marryin' yer daughter, Sir"

Mr Wheeler's jaw dropped to the floor, and it took him some time to regain his composure. "You what?"

"Lilian and I are gettin' married, Sir," he repeated. "I thought ya'd like to know"

"I can't believe it!" Mr Wheeler exclaimed, jumping off the couch. "My daughter, marrying an East Ender! How can she?"

Mrs Wheeler tried to calm her husband down. "Don't upset yourself, darling. Think about your heart"

"Think about my heart? Who cares about that? My reputation is what concerns me!" He angrily looked at Newkirk. "You! It's all your fault! Lilian was always a troublemaker, but since she knows you, she disgraces our family even more. What is she thinking?"

Newkirk patiently endured Mr Wheeler's raging, and then cleared his throat. "Ya should rather ask yerself what ya are thinkin', Sir"

Mr Wheeler glared at him. "What?"

"With all due respect, Sir, ya're a 'orrible father. Nothin' Lilian did was ever good enough for ya, and ya constantly give 'er 'eartaches. Is it really 'at terrible 'at she's a teacher and 'at she decided to marry someone who is not from the upper class? Shouldn't it be more important to ya as 'er parents 'at she's 'appy?"

Mr Wheeler's expression turned from anger to puzzlement to insensate fury. "Who do you think you are? You come into **my** house and think you can talk to my like that?" He took another sip from the glass in his hands. "You are nothing! A nobody! No one cares about you. You'll never get anywhere! But I'm a respectable lawyer, and not a criminal, and I won't tolerate you questioning my parenting methods!"

Newkirk slowly arose from his seat. Now he had enough. "I'm not a nobody. I am Peter Newkirk, born and raised in Stepney by lovin' parents who always supported their children. I travelled with a circus, and now I'm the 'eadliner in the Palladium. I may 'ave done things I'm not proud of, and I maybe don't earn much money, but at least I can look in the mirror and be proud of who I become. And I will be a carin' 'usband to yer daughter and give 'er all the love I 'ave, which is more than she 'as ever received in this 'ousehold" Newkirk walked towards the room's exit. "And just 'at we're clear; ya are not invited"

As he stepped out of the room, he left behind a speechless Mr Wheeler and a stunned Mrs Wheeler, who were shocked by Newkirk's self-confidence. In the end, Mr Wheeler left the room in silence, and it was never spoken about this afternoon ever again.


	23. Chapter 23

" _ **The real act of marriage takes place in the heart, not in the ballroom or church or synagogue. It's a choice you make – not just on your wedding day, but over and over again – and that choice is reflected in the way you treat you husband or wife" – Barbara De Angelis**_

 _August 16, 1938_

"How do I look?" asked Lilian, who stood in the middle of one of the church's small back rooms.

With her were Hannah, her future mother-in-law Dorothy, and all her future sisters-in-law, as well as the wives of Newkirk's brothers. She wore a white dress with a tight-fitting bodice which was embellished with a lacy floral pattern. Its semi-sweetheart neckline ended right above her bosom and was extended with a silk cover. This made it possible to see Lilian's skin, but at the same time it made the impression that her front was covered. Her long sleeves followed the cover and went to her wrists. It had a drop waist with an A-line silk skirt, in which Lilian was able to move without any difficulties. Her shoulder-length chestnut brown hair was made up in a ballerina bun, and she wore subtle, natural-looking make-up.

"Ya look beautiful," said Dorothy while wiping some tears away with her handkerchief. Though Lilian was not her daughter, she already thought of her as a daughter, just like she did with her other daughters-in-law.

"Yeah, Lilian, she is right," agreed Hannah. "You look absolutely gorgeous"

Mary, one of Newkirk's sisters, turned to Emma. "Ya really did a fantastic job with the dress, Emma. It's amazin'!"

"Thank ya," responded Emma.

She took the veil that laid on a side table and went over to Lilian. She attached the veil with a hair clip on the front side of the bun and pushed it backwards, so that Lilian's face was not covered.

Lilian turned around and looked in the mirror. "Do you think Peter will like it too?"

"Definitely," declared Ivy. "He would be an idiot if he doesn't"

Emma, who tugged at the shoulders of the dress to adjust it, remarked, "And if 'e nags, I will tell 'im off"

Everyone started to laugh at the mental image, but the laughter was interrupted by a knock on the door. Mavis walked over to open the door, and was greeted by Pastor North, who was already dressed in his black minister gown. He informed them that the wedding ceremony was about to start in ten minutes.

When he left, Annie, on of Newkirk's sisters-in-law, announced, "I think we should leave the bride alone now"

While some were already making their way out of the room too, Hannah walked over to Lilian and gave her a quick hug. "I'll be waiting outside, alright?"

Lilian nodded. "Do you have the ring?"

"What a silly question" Hannah held the ring up. "Of course I have it; you can count on me"

"Go ahead," said Dorothy to the others. "We'll meet up in a minute" When they were alone, she went to Lilian. " 'ere, I 'ave somethin' for ya" She grabbed into her handbag and revealed a beautiful silver necklace. Its chain was made up of little round diamonds that were embedded in silver squares. Additionally, around half of the chain hung diamonds like fringes, embedded in silver triangles with round diamonds at the end. "I wore it at me weddin' day, like all me ancestors. I don't know 'ow it entered me family's possession, but it was always passed on as some kind of assurance for bad times. And now I want ya to 'ave it"

Lilian was at a loss for words. She was overwhelmed at the sight of such precious jewellery. "I…I can't take it, Dorothy," she finally managed to say. "It's much too valuable"

"But I want ya to 'ave it," Dorothy insisted.

"Shouldn't one of your daughters get it? It seems unfair if I get it; I'm not a family member"

Dorothy took one of Lilian's hands in hers. "Me dear Lilian, ya 'ave to know, a mother knows 'er children the best. I knew from an early age 'at Peter loved to chase girls; ya couldn't miss it. So I decided the girl who would be able to tame me Peter and make 'im settle down would get this necklace. And now 'at this day 'as come, I'm all the more 'appy, because Peter 'as found a lovely girl with whom 'e's very much in love" Dorothy started to smile. "And don't say yer not part of the family; 'at's not true"

Lilian had a hard time holding back tears at Dorothy's sweet explanation. "Please, stop," she said, sniffling. "You're going to make me cry even before the ceremony"

Dorothy handed her a handkerchief, so she could dry her cheeks. In the meantime, she walked behind Lilian and put the necklace on. It fit closely around her neck, and only the lower half of the fringing diamonds touched the silk cover of Lilian's dress. Then Dorothy turned her around.

Lilian gasped when she saw herself in the mirror. "Oh my god, it's wonderful" She turned around again to face her future mother-in-law. "Thank you so very much," she said while giving Dorothy a hug.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, in the groom's room…_

Newkirk examined himself in the mirror, trying to tie his black tie. He wore a simple black suit that Jack made for him with a white shirt and black shoes. On his lapel he had a white rose, matching Lilian's flower bouquet. With him were his father and his two best men, Jacob and Luke. He was highly nervous and slightly trembling, which made the simple task of tying his tie much harder. This, of course, did not remain unnoticed.

"Calm down, Peter," said Jacob, who was dressed in his best suit. "Everythin' will be fine"

Luke nodded. "Yeah, Jacob's right. Ya 'ave no reason to be nervous; Lilian already said yes"

Newkirk turned around, his tie still half loose. "It's all very well for ya guys to talk. Ya aren't the one who's about to get married"

"What, 'avin' second thoughts?" joked Luke.

"Of course not!" Newkirk exclaimed. "Just nervous"

At that moment, someone knocked on the door and Newkirk called the person in; it was Samuel. He wore his brown Dress uniform, his hat squeezed between his right elbow and body.

He closed the door behind him and asked, "How are you feeling, Peter?"

Newkirk drove with his fingers through his neatly combed hair. "M'fine –"

"A nervous wreck, 'e is!" laughed Jacob.

"Oh, shut up!" Newkirk gave him a grim look. "I only 'ope the ceremony will start soon"

"Wait no more," Samuel said, smiling. "The Pastor says it will start in ten minutes"

William noticed how his son tensed up upon hearing that only a few more minutes lay between his old bachelor days and his new life as a husband. Therefore, he announced, "Jacob, Luke, why don't ya guys go ahead? Tell the Pastor we'll be comin' in a minute"

They walked out of the room, and before he followed them, Samuel said, "I'll leave ya two alone too, and look how Lilian is doing"

When they were alone, William moved closer to his son and helped him adjusting his tie. "What is it? Are ya doubtin' yer decision?"

"No; I never was so sure about anythin'," Newkirk said. "Lil is the love of me life, and I know 'at there is no one else I want to spend the rest of me life with. She's the one" He bit his lip. "It's just…"

William raised an eyebrow. "It's just what?"

Newkirk sighed. "What if I can't offer 'er enough, Dad? I mean, she comes from another world; a world with 'uge 'ouses and servants, cottages in the country, and money. For me, luxury is affordin' to go to the movies, or not to pinch and scrape" He looked to the ground. "What if she wakes up one day and walks out on me because she doesn't want to deny 'erself 'at luxury anymore?"

"Oh, Peter," William said, and laid his hands on his son's shoulders. "Ya always were such a self-doubtin' youn' man"

"I can't 'elp it, Dad," Newkirk admitted sadly.

"Listen to me, son. I maybe don't know Lilian as well as ya do, but I do know 'at she loves ya very much. I can see it from the way she looks at ya. And I'm sure ya know as well as I do 'at she loves ya for who ya are; not for any materialistic reasons. Simply for the person ya are. Am I right?"

Newkirk nodded.

"So please, stop thinkin' money can buy ya 'appiness. It can't. It maybe makes life easier, but money alone doesn't make ya 'appy. Yer family and the people ya love are true 'appiness" William looked his son in the eyes. "Ya and Lilian will 'ave a great life together; because ya love each other. Anythin' else is not important, alright?"

A small smile flicked across Newkirk's face. "Yer right, Dad. Thanks"

" 'at's why I'm 'ere for" William placed a hand on Newkirk's back. "Let's go. We don't want ya to be late for yer own weddin'"

* * *

As Samuel entered the room, he saw his sister standing in front of a full-length mirror. "Hey, Sis. How are you doing?"

She turned around and smiled at him. "Just a little nervous. How's Peter?"

Samuel walked over to the couch in the middle of the room and sat down. "To quote Jacob, 'A nervous wreck, 'e is'," Samuel said, trying to imitate Jacob's accent.

"Really?" Lilian asked, full of concern.

Hearing the concerned tone of her voice, Samuel stood up and went to his little sister, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry; he is fine. Just eager to marry you"

"I can't wait for the ceremony to start too," Lilian said. She turned around to check herself in the mirror for the thousandth time, in an effort to calm herself down.

"And why are you nervous?"

"I don't know," she sighed, looking at her brother through the mirror. "It's just a big day, you know"

"Yeah, I know that. It's not like I walk my little sister down the aisle every day," Samuel joked. Then he added, "There's still time to blow the wedding and run out of here if you want. I'll help you"

Lilian rolled her eyes. "That won't be necessary, but thanks" She turned around again to face her brother.

He grinned. "Just saying"

"I love Peter, with all my heart, and I know that he's the right one"

"He's a great guy, Lil," Samuel said. "And I'm happy for you two" He looked at his watch and saw that it was time for them to leave the room. Then he looked at his sister and asked, "Are you ready?"

She picked up her flower bouquet from a nearby dresser. "Yes"

Samuel covered Lilian's face with the veil she was wearing, put on his hat, and then held his arm out for her. She tucked her arm into his, and together they walked out of the small room. In front of the huge double door that separated the main church from a small entry room stood Hannah, who patiently waited for the siblings.

Hannah smiled at Lilian and said, "I already peeked in; the room's packed, and Peter looks dashing in his suit"

Suddenly, the organ started playing and the door was opened. Hannah gave Lilian one last reassuring smile, and then went slowly down the aisle. While Samuel and Lilian waited for their turn, Lilian clutched his brother's arm a little tighter.

He looked down at his sister and whispered, "Everything's going to be fine. Don't worry"

With that, the siblings marched through the door, which made everyone in the church room stand up and turn their attention to the incoming bride. Newkirk's family and friends were sitting on the right side of the church room, and Lilian's friends on the left. While they were making their way down the aisle, Lilian locked eyes with Newkirk, who held his breath at the sight of his beautiful bride. Before the wedding, he had envisioned this moment, the moment he would see Lilian in her wedding dress for the first time, but he had never imagined Lilian to be looking this breath-taking. His eyes were glued to hers as she came up to him; all the while Lilian was captured by his appearance just the same. She had seen him in a suit before; however, seeing him standing next to the minister with the white rose at his lapel, staring at her as if she was the most beautiful creature in the world made her heart skip a beat. When Samuel and she reached the altar, Samuel kissed her on the cheeks through the veil whilst Newkirk walked down the two steps. He shook Samuel's hand, who nodded slightly as if to say, "I trust you to take good care of her". Samuel retreated to the first row on the left side, next to Grace, with whom he was in a happy and stable relationship again. When they stood alone in the aisle, Newkirk smiled at Lilian and took a hold of her hand, leading her up the stairs. The guests sat down when the couple reached the minister, and Newkirk let go of her hand again as they stood in front of Pastor North. He laid one hand over the other in front of his stomach in an attempt to support himself and calm his excited nerves down. Fortunately for Lilian, she had her flower bouquet to hold onto. As everyone settled down, Pastor North began to speak.

"Today, we gather here to unite these two young people in marriage. The decision to marry should not be made lightly, because entering a marriage means to be responsible for the other one's happiness from this day on. This eternal commitment means sharing hopes and dreams as well as fears and concerns. And the very essence of this special commitment is love. But what does it mean, to love? To love is an act of faith, because you give yourself up. You surrender to another person, which is the most powerful thing that can be done. When you love someone, you give this person the permission, to do with you anything they like. So, as a matter of fact, to love means to let things out of control. But with the act of marriage, two people promise each other that they accept this loss of control, because they trust each other; because they found control in each other. And trust is control. Its power. Therefore, in a balanced and happy marriage, neither person is overpowered nor absorbed by the other. In a balanced and happy marriage, both give their love freely and without jealousy. And a successful marriage requires to fall in love many times, always with the same person. It means to enjoy the good times, and to stick together in the hard times. In a marriage you learn that we don't come to love by finding a perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly"

Pastor North looked up from his book and at Newkirk and Lilian. "Now, do you have something to say to each other before we continue?"

"Yes, I 'ave," Newkirk said. He turned to Lilian so that he now stood sideways to the minister, and took her free hand into his. "Lilian, I've made a lot of mistakes in me life, but if every single one 'ad to 'appen to make sure I was right 'ere, right now, to meet ya, then I forgive meself for them all. Ya are the love of me love, and I can't think of anyone else I would rather want to spend the rest of me life with than with ya. And today, I take ya to be me best friend, me faithful partner, and me one true love. I promise to encourage ya and to inspire ya and to love ya truly through good times and bad. I will forever be there to laugh with ya, to lift ya up when ya are down and to love ya unconditionally through all of our adventures in life together"

Tears had started to run down Lilian's cheeks and she tried to wipe them away from under her veil. His mother had started to cry too, now sniffling into her handkerchief, and almost every woman in the church did the same or at least had a lump in their throat. No one had expected Newkirk to be this sensitive or thoughtful, and they were all overwhelmed.

Pastor North turned to Lilian and said, "Do you want to say something too?"

Lilian nodded, still trying to wipe her tears away. She took a hold of Newkirk's hand again and said, "Peter, when we first met, I was not searching for love. To be honest, love was the furthest thing on my mind. But from the beginning, you managed to make me laugh and to make me feel appreciated. And now I stand here, and I choose you again and again. At the start and finish of every single day, no matter the season, no matter the year. I choose you to struggle and succeed with, to fight and make up with, to love and grow old with. I choose you to always be by my side, because you are my happily ever after, my soul mate, my best friend. You are my dream come true, my one and only, my shoulder to lean on. You are my everything, my anchor, my life, and my love. Forever and always"

Now Newkirk was on the verge of tears and struggled to blink them back. The feeling of having found a girl who loved him just as much as he loved her was beyond anything he had ever felt in his entire life.

"And now the rings, please," announced Pastor North.

Lilian and Newkirk turned around to receive the rings from Hannah and Luke. Lilian gave Hannah her flower bouquet and then turned around to face Newkirk again.

Pastor North looked at Newkirk and said, "Please take her hand in yours" Newkirk did as told, taking her left hand into his left one and placing the ring right in front of her ring finger. "Now speak after me. With this ring, I, Peter Newkirk, …"

"With this ring, I, Peter Newkirk, …"

"Take you, Lilian Wheeler, …"

"Take ya, Lilian Wheeler, …"

"To be my wedded wife"

"To be me wedded wife"

"I promise to love and honour you, through sorrows and joys, through sickness and health…"

"I promise to love and 'onour ya, through sorrows and joys, through sickness and 'ealth…"

"Until death do us part"

"Until death do us part"

With that, Newkirk slipped the silver ring onto Lilian's ring finger, right in front of the engagement ring. All the while, he never stopped looking in her eyes, which were beaming in the most breath-taking yellow shade he had ever seen.

Pastor North turned his attention to Lilian and said, "Please take his hand in yours" Lilian did exactly what Newkirk did, taking his left hand into hers, and placing the silver ring in front of his ring finger. "Now speak after me. With this ring, I, Lilian Wheeler, …"

"With this ring, I, Lilian Wheeler, …"

"Take you, Peter Newkirk, …"

"Take you, Peter Newkirk, …"

"To be my wedded husband"

"To be my wedded husband"

"I promise to love and honour you, through sorrows and joys, through sickness and health…"

"I promise to love and honour you, through sorrows and joys, through sickness and health…"

"Until death do us part"

"Until death do us part"

As Lilian slipped the ring onto his finger, she looked him in the eyes too, and was greeted by the most happiest smile Newkirk had ever given her.

"By virtue of the authority vested in me, I know pronounce you husband and wife" He glanced at Newkirk. "You may now kiss the bride"

Newkirk let go of Lilian's hands and stepped closer to her. He raised the veil, uncovering her face. Then he placed his hands on her cheeks and leaned in, softly placing his lips on hers. Lilian placed her hands around his shoulder and amid the applause of the guests, Peter and Lilian Newkirk shared their first kiss as a married couple; the first of many to follow.

* * *

 **A/N: I know the passage where Newkirk and Lilian repeat what Pastor North says is boring, but I wanted to create an authentic atmosphere; that's why I let them repeat it in full length.**

 **2nd A/N: I borrowed some phrases and passages for the minister's speech and Newkirk and Lilian's vows from quotes I found and poems; the most striking one being "Falling into Love" by Alan Watts. I hope you don't mind :)**


	24. Additional Information

Hey, guys, it's me again :)

I know you were probably hoping for another chapter, but that's exactly what this message is about. I've made some thinking and decided to end this story with the last chapter. Though this story was originally planned to span much, much longer, I decided against continuing the plot in this story. Therefore, I have changed the story description. I just thought that with the story beginning when Lilian and Newkirk meet each other for the first time, it's fitting to let it end with them getting married.

But don't worry! I will continue with the plot I had planned for this story, only that it will be two stories (and maybe two one-shots or short stories additionally). I just think it's better dividing the plot. So you won't miss out on anything.

And with this note, I want to inform you that I probably won't post much or anything the next three weeks, because I'll write my final exams and I still have to learn a lot. Just be patient with me, I'll write more soon.

Greetings

icyglass431


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